Waiting out the Seasons I & II
by J-Rocker Girl
Summary: Captain Sagara's daughter stumbles upon the Kamiya dojo one snowy night after a fight and recognizes Sano. by the way,. i changed it to where it's the firs WOS and the sequel
1. Akiyama Sagara and Suzuka Takahashi

Disclaimer: See my bio. I own Aki, and Luna-Sama owns Suzuka.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Akiyama wondered why her mother was panic-stricken tonight. There were torches and voices outside, but there always?  
  
Her father was the captain of the Sekihottai, and he always had his band with him. The group had always treated her and her mother as sisters. Her father even trained her in the art of the sword with the two smaller additions, Sanosuke, and Katsu.  
  
Akiyama heard one of the voices say "Down with the Sekihottai!" That was why!  
  
"Aki-Chan," whispered her mother. "Come here, haiyeku!"  
  
The ten year-old quietly ran to her mother. She opened a trap door. "Don't say anything until everything is quiet," she warned her daughter. "Your father wanted you to have this," she added, handing her a red silk sash with a smile.  
  
Underneath the floor, Akiyama heard a pounding at the door. Her mother went to answer.  
  
"Hai?" she said, opening it. The blue-haired girl sent up a silent prayer.  
  
She refused to hear the conversation, or anything but a loud gun shot and her mother's dying words. "Aishiteru." Barely above a whisper.  
  
She couldn't believe it. Her mother. The one who taught her about herbs while her father taught her of the sword. She was even incapable of tears as blood trickled through the floor boards.  
  
Suddenly, something sharp sliced her forehead. She felt her eyes roll back as the world went black.  
  
When she woke again, she heard birds chirping. She sat up, holding her father's silk sash. All the members of the Sekihottai wore one of these. He had finally accepted her as one of the Sekihottai. But she had the straining feeling it was too late.  
  
Her mother's body lay on the floor. She had to bury, but being a only a girl, she couldn't. so she improvised. She took a thick blanket and covered her with it. "Aishiteru," she said in response to her dying words.  
  
Akiyama made her way outside. She stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
Her father's glazed eyes stared back at her. The same silver eyes she had inherited. She hung her head, tied the sash around it, and put on her father's coat and sword. Being his only child, she was his heir. She probably looked ridiculous, but he would have wanted it.  
  
Ten years later, Akiyama happened to stumble onto a stray imperialist left from the Revolution. Seeking to kill all connected to the Sekihottai.  
  
The battle was long and hard, but with her chained scythe, there was one less imperialist in the world.  
  
She had killed her enemy, but she had a few wounds herself, and needed medical treatment before she passed out. The fact that it was snowing like nobody's business didn't help!  
  
Was that a.? It was! A building. As she got closer, she noticed a sign. A dojo!  
  
She walked up to the door and knocked.  
  
"Hai?" said a girl a lot shorter than her in a kimono. "Oh!" the girl gasped, noticing her wounds.  
  
"Good evening, ma'am. Sorry to intrude," said Akiyama.  
  
"Oh, no need to apologize," said the girl, helping her in.  
  
"Kenshin! Sanosuke! I could use some help here!" Sanosuke? It couldn't be! Could it?  
  
Two men rushed out, and helped her follow the girl. It was Sanosuke!  
  
"I'm Kaoru Kamiya," said the girl. "The one on your left is Kenshin Himura, the other is Sanosuke Sagara." Sanosuke had taken on her father's name? Why was she not surprised?  
  
"My name's." she had to stop to cough. "Akiyama.Sagara. Baka."  
  
Sanosuke stopped, stopping Kenshin too. "Battle axe! Captain Sagara's daughter!"  
  
Aki nodded. Sano looked behind her to see the symbol for bad on the back of her coat.  
  
"I didn't recognize you in the coat."  
  
"Excuses, excuses."  
  
"Set Akiyama-San here," said Kaoru, indicating a futon.  
  
Kenshin and Sano set her down.  
  
"If I recall." she pondered. "You didn't have a last name."  
  
"I took captain Sagara's last name, he was like a father to us. So it was only logical to take on your father's name, isn't it?"  
  
"I'm out of herbs." said Kaoru, vexated.  
  
"Use mine," said Aki, handing her a sack.  
  
"I wouldn't trust her with herbs," said Sano. "She can't even cook."  
  
Noticing the death glare on Kaoru's face, Kenshin grabbed Sano's arm and ran out.  
  
A few minutes after Kaoru began to tend to Aki's wounds, a pale, young woman walked in and glared down on them.  
  
"If you wanted me to take care of an injured wanderer, you could've asked!"  
  
"I can take care of it myself, Megumi!" replied Kaoru. Megumi sat in front of her and gave her a smile.  
  
"Hello, my name's Megumi," she said politely. "No answer from our mysterious stranger?"  
  
"I'm supposed to be still," said Akiyama.  
  
"Well at least what's your name?"  
  
"Akiyama Sagara."  
  
"Oh, the same as Sano's I see!" she said, giggling.  
  
"Megumi, get out!" demanded Kaoru  
  
"But we were in the middle of a conversation, ne, Aki-Sama?"  
  
Aki didn't answer, this Megumi was just a bit too friendly for her taste.  
  
Megumi crossed her arms, looked away and left.  
  
"I wish you didn't have to see that," said Kaoru.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm quite tolerant."  
  
A few minutes right after Kaoru finally got all the bandages to just the right pressure and everything in the place, she decided to get to know Aki.  
  
"How did you end up like this?"  
  
"I ran into an imperialist who noticed the character on my back and challenged me to a fight."  
  
"You didn't kill him, did you?"  
  
"I had to, I only kill in self-defense, and even then only as a last resort. If I had just knocked him out, he would have hunted me down until either of us died."  
  
"How could you tell?"  
  
"For lack of a regular-sized pupil."  
  
Kaoru shivered, she'd met a few of those before.  
  
Aki suddenly got an odd look on her face. "What's poking me?"  
  
Kaoru looked behind her. "Ayame! Suzume! Why are you bothering Aki-San?"  
  
To young girls walked out from behind Aki. "She wouldn't play with us."  
  
Aki smiled. "I'm not sure about playing, but I do like.tickle fests!" she finished, tickling them. The little girls erupted into laughter.  
  
After a while, Ayame and Suzume left, giggling.  
  
"I hope you can stay, I haven't seen them react that way to anyone like that but Kenshin," said Kaoru.  
  
Aki's smile turned sad. "I do too."  
  
She suddenly sat up. "What's poking me now?"  
  
Kaoru looked behind her new friend again. "Yahiko! It's one thing to poke her, but with your bokuto?!"  
  
A young man about twelve walked out and reluctantly bowed. "Gomen ne sai.what's your name? Sano said I had to find out on my own.and Kenshin wouldn't tell either." She told him.  
  
Yahiko grinned from ear-to-ear. "Gomen ne sai.Sagara-San!" he finished, running out, bubbling with laughter.  
  
"Is it a thing for the young people here to poke injured people?"  
  
"Unfortunately," said Kenshin, walking in. "I think it is a thing for the young people here to poke injured people. Just ask Sano."  
  
During dinner that night, everyone seemed to be bashing Kaoru's cooking.  
  
"I don't believe you trusted her with herbs, the way she cooks, you should be dying from horrible disease by now," said Sano.  
  
Well, she had told Kaoru what each herb did, but she saved Kaoru the humility.  
  
"Yeah, Kaoru, I don't think you should be feeding this to sick people," added Yahiko.  
  
Kaoru's face suddenly got a death glare.  
  
"It tastes like you made it from sick people," chimed in Misao.  
  
"Gee, what's your secret?" asked Megumi sarcastically.  
  
Aoshi picked his up with his chopsticks, and set them back down again. "Any opinions, Sagara-San?"  
  
"I'm just glad to get something hot to eat," answered Aki.  
  
"You won't be in a minute," Sanosuke muttered in her ear.  
  
After dinner, Kaoru wanted the guest's opinion. "What do you think Aki- San?"  
  
Aki took a breath, looked at her half-eaten dinner. "May I cook dinner next time?"  
  
"HAH!" shouted Yahiko. "I TOLD YOU IT WAS HORRIBLE! EVEN AKI DIDN'T LIKE IT!"  
  
That was apparently the last straw for Kaoru, she got up and started chasing Yahiko and yelling threats to him. To which he responded with a laugh.  
  
In the silence, Aoshi sat in deep thought. "Akiyama Sagara." he pondered. "That sounds slightly familiar."  
  
"Yeah." added Kenshin.  
  
"Like it should have a nickname at the end of it." continued Doctor Gensai.  
  
"That it should," said Kenshin.  
  
Megumi slammed her fists on the ground, silencing the room. "The Nightingale," she growled. "A good Samaritan to the poor, a mercenary for the rich. And a threat to the Meiji government."  
  
"Hey," said Yahiko. "Kenshin's Battousai the Manslayer, the strongest of the Meiji's manslayers!"  
  
"You listen to rumors I see, Megumi-San," said Aki. "I kill out of self- defense, and then only as a last ditch effort."  
  
Suzume suddenly yawned and rested her head on Aki's arm. Aki picked her up as Kaoru picked up Ayame, and they sent them off to bed.  
  
Aki woke suddenly, she had slept longer than she'd intended. She sat up slowly.  
  
Kaoru was sleeping soundly. Yahiko was tossing and turning. Misao was making faces in her sleep. Megumi was mumbling inaudibly in her sleep. Good, they were all asleep.  
  
She slowly and quietly gathered her things. She tiptoed to the living room, and opened the door. She hated to leave, but she was a wanderer, what if someone needed treating?  
  
She put one foot out the door and stopped. "You weren't thinking of leaving were you?" asked Sano's voice behind her.  
  
Aki sighed and roller her eyes. Why.? She was so close!  
  
"But you can't leave!"  
  
"I'm a wanderer, it's what I do."  
  
"That's what Kenshin said and look where it landed him."  
  
"I'm not Kenshin."  
  
"But we're both of the Sekihottai, the Sekihottai stays together."  
  
"You haven't changed a bit, have you? But you do have a point," she said, closing the door, and was about to go back to bed, when Ayame and Suzume ran up to them.  
  
"Auntie Aki.!" they whined. "Uncle Sano.!"  
  
"Sh.not so loud," said Aki in a whisper. "Everyone's asleep, what is it?"  
  
"We had a bad dream." said Suzume.  
  
"We need a tickle fest." added Ayame. They added two toothy grins to their pleas.  
  
Aki and Sano glanced at each other and grinned themselves before starting a tickle fest that helped them all four go to sleep.  
  
Kenshin decided to surprise everyone and get breakfast from the Akobeko family restaurant that day. He wanted to take Ayame and Suzume too. They might be bored. They weren't in any of the bedrooms, so he tried the living room. There they were, next to Aki and Sano. Now THAT was a family picture if he ever saw one.  
  
He woke them up without waking Aki and Sano, and tiptoed out with the giggling girls in each arm.  
  
Aki woke to someone shaking her shoulder slightly. "Aki-Chan." said Kaoru's voice, but it was too whiny to Kaoru. "Aki-Chan.!!" She slowly opened her eyes.  
  
"Eh?" she asked. "Nani?"  
  
"Kenshin's not here." said Kaoru, her eyes big and watery. "Neither are Ayame and Suzume.we have to find them!"  
  
"They're probably out getting breakfast."  
  
"How could we be sure?"  
  
"Fine," she finally said, getting up. Who was that beside her? Sano?! How did that get there?! Oh. Now she remembered.  
  
"Come on, Sanosuke, you're coming with us," she said, yanking him up.  
  
"Doko?" he asked groggily.  
  
"To find Kenshin."  
  
"Doshite?"  
  
"You're the closest to the door."  
  
"Give me another good reason."  
  
"Because 'we're both of the Sekihottai, the Sekihottai stays together.'"  
  
"Another reason."  
  
"Kaoru-San, tell him."  
  
"Sano." she whined. "Kenshin's gone, and took Ayame and Suzume.what if he turned to Battousai and kidnapped them, or what if someone kidnapped them and he went to look for them.?  
  
"Okay! Okay! I'll go!"  
  
On their way to the restaurant, Kenshin and the little girls ran into Kenshin's long-lost cousin, Suzuka Takahashi.  
  
Kenshin decided to treat her to breakfast and catch up, since they hadn't seen each other since they were about three.  
  
"How've you been?" asked Kenshin.  
  
"After dad went with the Imperial Army and never came back, mom contracted a disease and died, I took up ninjutsu the sword."  
  
Kenshin blinked. "Oro" he said. "That's versatile."  
  
"How've YOU been these past twenty-some-odd years?" she asked.  
  
Kenshin was about to tell her, when he heard a familiar voice say," Oh, Ke- e-e-enshi-i-i-n.I-I-I-I..found you!" Kaoru threw her arms around his neck.  
  
"Oro?" he asked. "I was lost?"  
  
"Himura," growled Aki, standing next to her. "She dragged us out of bed to find you."  
  
"Thanks for buying breakfast, Kenshin," said Sano, sitting next to him, Kaoru took the seat on his other side. Aki stepped over the table to the back. Suzuka looked very confused.  
  
"Kenshin..Who are they?"  
  
Kenshin explained who they were and how they had all come to live in the Kamiya dojo. However, this was a very long story and everyone but Suzuka almost fell sleep again.  
  
Sano leaned over to whisper in Kenshin's ear. "I've got sort of.a bill here. You wouldn't mind taking care of that would you?" He hesitated, but eventually agreed, he had to work on his push-over problem.  
  
"So, you're a ninja-samurai?" Aki asked Suzuka.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Well, Kenshin," said Kaoru. "You've run into a group of creative people. You're cousin's a master of ninjutsu and the sword, Aki's made a farmer's tool into a weapon in addition to using a sword, and Sano.had a zan-batou."  
  
Aki's eyes widened. She turned to Sano. "You have a zan-batou?"  
  
"I have the pieces.Kenshin sliced it in half when we first met."  
  
"Well, show me the pieces, then show me to the hottest forge in town!"  
  
"You can fix it?!"  
  
"Can a bird fly?"  
  
"Alright!" said Sano, grabbing her arm, running out.  
  
"Zan-batou?" asked Suzuka.  
  
"That's another long story," said Kenshin.  
  
"Are these all the people who live in the Kamiya dojo?"  
  
"No," said Kenshin. "There are about five more, that there are."  
  
"Aki's the most recent addition to our strange friends," said Kaoru.  
  
After breakfast, they headed outside.  
  
"You look like Uncle Ken!" observed Suzume.  
  
"Yeah, but you have pretty blue eyes instead of purple!" added Ayame.  
  
"That's cause we're cousins," said Suzuka.  
  
"Hey, there's Sano, at the smithy's, and there's the smithy," pointed out Kenshin.  
  
"Uncle Sano!" hollered Suzume, jumping into his arms. "Uncle Sano!" added Ayame.  
  
"That's a first," said Sano, rather confused.  
  
"Himura-San, maybe you could help," said the blacksmith to Kenshin. "He brought this woman here, and she's been in my shop all morning!"  
  
"It's only been two hours," said Sano. "Besides, she paid for rent and materials."  
  
"Well," said Kenshin. "If she's paid."  
  
"But, Himura-San, I have-"  
  
"Paying customers," said an angry voice behind them.  
  
The owner of the voice was apparently the leader of the band standing behind him. All the band had their blades drawn.  
  
"We want our blades sharpened, old man. And we don't mind using them on you and your friends to do it."  
  
Kaoru quickly grabbed the two small girls and tried to make a break for it, but one of the members blocked their way.  
  
Suddenly, when all hope seemed lost for Kaoru, Ayame, and Suzume, Aki's fist rammed into his jaw, knocking him on the ground, unconscious. Her other hand tossed Sano his zan-batou, now in one piece.  
  
Aki got out her sword and scythe, letting Kaoru and her charges pass.  
  
Suzuka fought back-to-back with Aki. Her opponents being swordsmen, she used her katana. Aki used her father's katana, and let her scythe chain out, just in case.  
  
Kenshin used his reverse-blade sword as easily as he always did. Sano's zan- batou seemed lighter, faster, and stronger than before. Aki did more than just fix it! He silently rejoiced, then gave a gang member a gash in his arm. It was sharper too!  
  
As the gang ran away, Suzuka noticed one of them, taking something from Kenshin. She pointed this out, also pointing to the felon.  
  
Aki hurled her scythe snagging the back of his shirt. She yanked the chain, bringing him facedown in front of her. Suzuka got Kenshin's coin purse, and Aki let him go.  
  
Sano had taken a sword in his leg, and was already leaning on Kenshin. Kenshin however, was about to fall over, trying to support him. Aki, being the tallest, other than Sano himself, took the other side.  
  
Suzuka volunteered to carry the zan-batou. "That felt good," she said, with a grin spread across her face. "I haven't done that in a long time!"  
  
On the way back to the dojo, Aki rolled her eyes. "I get to play doctor.again. Oh well, at least this time I know who I'm operating on."  
  
"Operating?!" asked Sano.  
  
"You've got a gash in your leg, you need stitches."  
  
"Stitches?!"  
  
"You won't feel anything, I know what I'm doing."  
  
Suddenly, Misao, Aoshi, and Yahiko came running down the path.  
  
"Kaoru came and told us you were in trouble," said Yahiko.  
  
"Great timing, Kaoru." said Misao sarcastically.  
  
"Kenshin, who're they?" asked Suzuka.  
  
Kenshin, still trying to stay upright under Sano, went through introductions.again.  
  
Aoshi rolled his eyes and took Kenshin's place, helping Sanosuke.  
  
"Sano, I see you got your zan-batou back," said Yahiko  
  
"Is that why you ran into the dojo for no reason and ran back out?" asked Misao.  
  
"No, somebody moved the pieces," answered Sano.  
  
"Who fixed it? I know it wasn't the smithy, he's been telling you he couldn't for a while now," said Aoshi.  
  
"Aki," said Kenshin, Sano, and Suzuka.  
  
"Good," Aoshi said. "I was beginning to think his fist would shatter the next time he hit someone."  
  
Aki laughed for the first time in ten years. 


	2. The Last Day of Winter

Chapter 2  
  
The Last Day of Winter  
  
Everyone closed their ears as Aki applied the herb that stopped the feeling in Sano's leg and Sano voiced alleged pain. Loudly. Megumi looked at the herb she had given him.  
  
"You gave him that?!"  
  
"It works faster than any herb I know, but it stings.THE FIRST FIVE SECONDS!!" Aki added over Sano's screams. Sano stopped and looked at his leg. He blinked.  
  
"It HAS stopped hurting!" he realized.  
  
Yahiko walked up, his face squinted, his hands still over his ears. "Has he stopped?!" he screamed.  
  
Aki gave him an odd look and nodded.  
  
"Good," said the boy, plopping down.  
  
Aki disinfected the wound, and the stitches, and started to patch up Sano's leg.  
  
Yahiko immediately started making faces. "Ew, how could you stay so close to something so bloody?"  
  
"It is?!" asked Sano, looking at his leg.  
  
"BE STILL!!"  
  
"Okay." replied Sano, stretching out, not moving his leg.  
  
"Ew, it's so gory!" remarked Yahiko.  
  
"YAHIKO!! If you don't want to watch, then go. Somewhere. Else. Now!"  
  
Misao took his place as the boy walked away. "Don't worry, I won't mess you up," she said with a smile. "I just wanted to have a conversation with our future savior of the kitchen."  
  
"Now that I can do."  
  
Sanosuke groaned.  
  
"You can join us, too," said Aki.  
  
"Yeah, you don't have to use your leg to talk," added Misao.  
  
Kenshin sat on the other side of Sano, and looked at his leg. His eyes turned to swirls. "Oro, I have to get used to medicated wounds, that I do."  
  
"I'll have to tell the jerk that the battle axe is back," said Sano.  
  
Aki laughed wholeheartedly. "Katsu?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"The big jerk, the battle axe and the baka are still alive, ne? How's the jerk these days?"  
  
"He's an artist and a published newspaper author."  
  
"He had the temper to be an artist.heck, you both did."  
  
"Kenshin." added Aki. "Earlier, Yahiko mentioned you were.Battousai the Manslayer?"  
  
"Was," said Sano and Misao.  
  
"I've sworn to never kill again," added Kenshin. "To repent for the lives I've taken during the Revolution, that I have."  
  
"Okay," she added, putting the finishing touches on Sano's leg. "Sanosuke, your leg is now stitched and bandaged."  
  
No answer.  
  
"And still attached," added Misao.  
  
No answer.  
  
"And still moveable," continued Kenshin.  
  
Still no answer.  
  
"Sano?" asked Aki. She was answered with snoring this time. "Only the baka would fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon."  
  
"Don't you think we should wake him.he might go into a coma," observed Misao.  
  
"Hah, Sano wouldn't let something as simple as a coma put his light out. Besides, a gash like that would me out too, even it was in my leg," Aki said, ruffling her friend's spiky hair.  
  
During dinner (fixed by Aki) Sano stumbled in on a walking stick.  
  
"How's your leg?" asked Yahiko, poking at it.  
  
"Ittai, baka!!" shouted Sano, hitting Yahiko on the head with the walked stick.  
  
"Edible food!" exclaimed Misao, putting some in her mouth, ignoring Sano and Yahiko.  
  
Sano sat down between Aki and Kenshin. Or, he tried to. His leg wouldn't bend right with the bandages.  
  
"You could do what the Sekihottai did when one of them was hurt," suggested Aki.  
  
"Do you see any of the Sekihottai here?"  
  
Aki cleared her throat.  
  
"That aren't girls."  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
"Okay, but you asked for it."  
  
Sano sat with his back to Kenshin, and propped his hurt leg in Aki's lap.  
  
Yahiko chortled and burst into hysterical laughter. He stopped suddenly and held his stomach. He looked at his plate in horror. "I-I'm allergic to squid!" he declared, running out of the dojo, holding his mouth, turning a green color.  
  
"How can you be allergic to squid and live in Japan at the same time?" asked Suzuka.  
  
"I wouldn't question oxymorons, you're surrounded by them," said Kaoru.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?!" demanded Megumi.  
  
"Gee, I don't know, maybe if you look at each person here, and compare certain attributes about them, you find a bunch of contradictions? Sano, would you like some takoyaki?" Aki added with a motherly smile.  
  
Yahiko came back in, out of breath. He glared at Aki. "You tried to poison me!"  
  
"That's like saying a dog said 'moo'," said Sano. "Besides, it's not like she forced you to eat it, you put it on your plate."  
  
"Yahiko, it's time for a lesson," said Kaoru. "It's called 'cleaning up after dinner because you accused a friend of poison'."  
  
"Ah, come now, Kaoru-San, the boy just puked his guts out." said Aki.  
  
"Oh, well Kenshin, you help!" Kaoru dragged Kenshin to the kitchen as Yahiko got the rest of the dishes.  
  
"Well, cripple, are you done?" asked Aki of Sano.  
  
Sano, with a mouth full of rice, shook his head.  
  
After a long conversation, in which everyone learned about Suzuka, Aki decided to help Sano to his room.  
  
"Come on, cripple, you're going to sleep," she said, helping him up. "Alone," she added, noticing to odd looks on everyone's face.  
  
"But, Aki, I'm lonely." Sano said with a grin.  
  
"Sano!"  
  
"I'll take it from here," said Aoshi, taking Sano's other arm. "I can't believe you were actually that desperate to try that." he added to Sano.  
  
The next morning after breakfast, Megumi headed back to the clinic.  
  
After she left, Sano grabbed Aki's arm and dragged her outside to everyone's surprise.  
  
Half way down the street, Aki's call finally got through to Sano. "Where are you taking me with that hurt leg of yours?!"  
  
"Oh," said Sano, letting her walk alongside him instead of dragging her. "We're going to see the jerk."  
  
"I would have gone willingly if I had known we were going to see my best friend."  
  
"Oh, now I'm hurt."  
  
"You know what I mean.!"  
  
On the way, Sano stopped and pointed out Katsu's caricatures. He also needed directions to Katsu's new house.  
  
Aki stood in the background. Most of them were of her father. It was definitely Katsu. One in particular caught her eye. She tugged at Sano's coat, lost for words.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"It's.Tou-San.Kaa-San.and me."  
  
Sano gazed at the work, stunned too.  
  
The man behind the counter looked at the caricature, he also noticed the look on Aki's face. "You can have that one free of charge. I'm sorry for your loss ma'am."  
  
"Arigatou," said Aki as she and Sano set off again.  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Sano as they neared Katsu's apartment.  
  
"We.never had a family portrait. The night Tou-San died, Shindo and his cronies came and killed Kaa-San. And tried to kill me." They stopped as she explained. "After I woke up I found they had dragged Tou-San's body to our house. It's ironic. We finally have a complete family portrait, and I'm the only one left."  
  
"When the Sekihottai was executed, I tried as hard as I could to keep Captain Sagara from being hit again. But Shindo's men caught up and he ended up saving my life," explained Sano. "The world lost a great man when it lost your father."  
  
Aki smiled sadly as they set off for Katsu's house again.  
  
Katsu sat in his small apartment, working on the latest edition of his newspaper when someone knocked on his door. He told them to come in.  
  
"Hey, jerk," said Sano's voice.  
  
"You found me again, did you, baka?"  
  
"Not only did I find you, but you'll never guess who else I found."  
  
Katsu turned around to see his friend standing next to a very familiar silhouette. "Captain Sagara?"  
  
"Do I really look that much like my dad?" asked the silhouette.  
  
"Apparently so, battle axe," answered Katsu with a smile.  
  
The wind picked up and threw snow flakes as three friends separated by violence sat in peace and caught up.  
  
A decade earlier, the three were training with practice swords while Captain Sagara let them melee.  
  
After a few minutes, Aki had pinned Sano to a wall with a friendly smile.  
  
"You're just like a battle axe!" said Katsu, scratching his head.  
  
Sano quirked an eyebrow as Aki let him go.  
  
"Nah," he said. "She smiles too much."  
  
"She smiles like her father," added Katsu.  
  
"Watch it, or you're next, jerk," warned Aki. The three smiled.  
  
After Aki and Sano came back, everyone had dinner, and went to sleep. It seemed like a rather uneventful day.  
  
Aki sat on the front porch of the dojo, doing everything in her power to stay awake.  
  
Kenshin came to the door and set next to her, a look of worry on his face. "Are you alright, Aki-San?"  
  
"I'm fine, Kenshin-San. A bad feeling's been keeping me up, that's all," she replied with a smile.  
  
Kenshin, being one to take heed to any bad feelings, woke up every other able fighter in the dojo. Without Aki knowing.  
  
Sano decided to check how Aki was really doing. He sat by her on the porch. Something big must've been bugging her, she didn't get that look for a "bad feeling." "How are you really doing?"  
  
"Not too god. But I wouldn't want you in the middle of it."  
  
"Come on, I'm a friend, I live to get in the middle of your problems."  
  
Aki sighed before explaining. "After Shindo tried to kill me, and word got out about my medical services, he started to track me down. Since then, I haven't stayed in one place for more than two nights. That's the whole reason I tried to leave the first night I was here. I don't want anyone hurt just because they're close to me."  
  
"Out of curiosity, how did Shindo try to kill you?"  
  
Aki took her headband off. A long scar ran from the right side of her hairline to nearly the left temple. She put the band back.  
  
"Kaa-San always had a trapdoor just in case something like that night happened. Apparently it worked."  
  
Sano stared at his friend as she concentrated on the surrounding dojo as if something would jump out any minute. He'd had no idea she'd had it that rough.  
  
"What's left of the Sekihottai'll always be there for you," Sano said reassuringly, putting an arm around her shoulder with a smile.  
  
"I was afraid of that," she said with her sad smile.  
  
Her ears suddenly perked up. She slowly crept from the porch. Sano close behind. She quietly inched along the side of the dojo. Sano had somehow grabbed his zan-batou. She looked around the corner and growled under her breath.  
  
Two of Shindo's men were attempting to walk off with the sleeping Ayame and Suzume. She walked out of her hiding place to confront them. She would've attacked, but what were blades to guns?  
  
"I don't know what you'd want with me, but leave my friends alone," she told them.  
  
Suddenly she saw the flash of metal and their guns broke in half, useless. Aki looked up to see Suzuka putting away a weapon as she sat perched in a tree. Kenshin ran out of nowhere and grabbed Ayame and Suzume from their captors, setting them back in the dojo, closing the door. His face was very set as he took his stance, sword in hand.  
  
Suzuka and Aoshi dropped from their trees and rounded up the cronies' reinforcements hidden in the woods.  
  
One of the men caught Aki's eye in particular. Shindo. Ten years older, but still the man who had killed nearly everyone she cared for. Her eyes shadowed.  
  
He turned to her and smiled darkly. "Well," he said. "If it isn't the Sagara brat. What was your name again?"  
  
"My name is Akiyama Sagara. You killed my father. Prepare to die." (AN: sorry, I love that movie).  
  
From the other side of the dojo, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Misao-weapons at hand- ran in. and stopped in stance.  
  
"I advise that last sentence to you," Shindo said, giving his gunmen a signal. All guns pointed to Aki.  
  
"Only a coward has lackeys."  
  
Sano blinked. Aki could quote her father quite well under pressure.  
  
Shindo signaled again and his men concentrated on everyone else.  
  
"You are your father's daughter," said Shindo.  
  
"You have no right to speak of my father."  
  
"Why not? He was my employee."  
  
"No. He was your scapegoat. And still is! You've dragged his name and mine through the mud for the last time!" she took out her own weapons, eyes still shadowed.  
  
Shindo unsheathed his sword and a dagger, usually used in Europe for a parrying weapon.  
  
Then the peaceful dojo erupted into chaos.  
  
After just blades weren't working for Shindo, he shouted a word and a ki- blast flew from his sword, scratching Aki.  
  
Suddenly, a bomb went off in the middle of the gunmen. Half of them ran away.  
  
Katsu, seeing his friend in trouble, tried to help, but Sano stopped him. "This is her fight, Katsu."  
  
Finally, all the gunmen were subdued. The police even came, but Aki and Shindo didn't notice. The captain tried to arrest Shindo, but Kenshin told them that this was a duel, and they could have Shindo afterwards. The captain, being completely faithful to Kenshin, nodded and stepped aside.  
  
Aki slowly rose. She took both her sword and her scythe, and crossed their blades. She shouted her own incantation as she scraped the blades and knocked Shindo unconscious.  
  
The police captain took Shindo into custody and was about to tell Aki he was sure that the judge would the madman to execution, but she wasn't there. No one knew where she was. No one had seen her go.  
  
Suddenly, Sano realized something and ran into dojo. Katsu followed.  
  
Aki quickly grabbed her kasa and ran to the door and opened it.  
  
She stood there for a moment. Why was she leaving? In fact, why was she living? Bloodshed had happened tonight and it was all because of her bloodline.  
  
Then again, she'd found Sano and Katsu. She'd made new friends too. And Ayame and Suzume. They'd been through the same thing she had, but they still kept on with their lives. She tossed her kasa to the ground and leaned against the doorframe as she heard footsteps running down the hallway. What was the use of running away, anyway?  
  
The footsteps stopped.  
  
"Aki, why-" said Sano's voice. She cut him off.  
  
"Oh, just shut up, you baka!" was all she could say as she turned to him and threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. She was too emotionally drained to even cry. Sano understood and put his arms around her, and rested his head on her shoulder. Katsu put his arms around both of them and rested his head on her other shoulder. The three stood in silence.  
  
The next morning, everything had cleared up. Katsu had gone back to his house, Shindo and his cronies rotted in jail-awaited trial-, and the snow had even begun to melt. The only thing was, Aki didn't show for breakfast.  
  
"I went to check on her," said Misao, coming out of the hallway. "But she wouldn't wake up. You think something's wrong?"  
  
"I think last night's events finally got to her and drove 'er into a coma!" said Yahiko.  
  
"I think you have issues," said Suzuka. "She's had to relive her family's death, she's gotten vengeance, and deserves some sleep. I might as well make breakfast," she added, heading to the kitchen.  
  
"I'll help!" offered Kaoru.  
  
"Nah, that's okay, I got it covered."  
  
"Seriously, Sano, what's the matter with Aki-San?" asked Kenshin after Suzuka had shut the door.  
  
"Yeah, she shouldn't miss the first day of spring," said Kaoru.  
  
"The first day of spring?" asked Sano. "Oh, other than being a bit sore from last night, on the first day of spring, she can sleep through anything," he explained with a grin.  
  
As if to argue, Aki slowly walked from the hallway and flopped down between Kaoru and Kenshin, and promptly fell backwards.  
  
"Aki-Chan?" asked Kaoru.  
  
"Ow."  
  
"Aki-San, your hair.it's a different color," observed Kenshin.  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"It changes with the seasons," explained Sano.  
  
"She looks like she's having a hangover," pointed out Yahiko.  
  
"Actually, she's quite sober," said Sano.  
  
"Her hair's gone from blue to black," said Kaoru. "Isn't it supposed to get lighter with the coming of a warmer season?"  
  
Sano shrugged. "Captain Sagara's did that too. The Sekihottai always knew when spring came when the Sagaras did that," he added, pointing to Aki, apparently asleep.  
  
Kaoru and Kenshin gave each other odd looks. "You sure she's okay?" they asked.  
  
Aki twitched. "I'll be fine in a few hours.just stop talking, Kenshin- San.you're beginning to echo." She threw an arm over her eyes. "Someone turn the sun out."  
  
"Any opinions from the doctor?" asked Aoshi.  
  
"I am a doctor, and I told you, Shinomori, I'll be just fine," Aki said in a distorted voice.  
  
"Sensitivity to light and sound." pondered Dr. Gensai. "And fatigue. I'd have to say a headache."  
  
"I told you," repeated Aki.  
  
"Do you need anything?" asked Kenshin.  
  
"Green tea.please?"  
  
"I'll tell Suzuka," said Kenshin, going to the kitchen.  
  
Aki slowly sat up. she looked at Yahiko, who still had a skeptical look on his face. "No, Yahiko-Chan, I'm not having a hangover."  
  
"What is it with this 'Chan' thing?! I'm not little!!"  
  
"And I thought Kenshin was echoing." Aki said, rubbing her temples.  
  
After Suzuka sent Kenshin with Aki's green tea, she started to feel better.  
  
"Thank you, Kenshin-San!" she said after a few sips. "I hate this stupid gene, it makes me feel like a groundhog."  
  
"You mean spring's coming early?!" asked Yahiko cheerfully.  
  
Aki groaned. "No, it means spring is here."  
  
"All because your head hurts?"  
  
"Ano.I really don't feel like explaining."  
  
Suzuka slid the door open and served breakfast. "Are you alright, Aki- San?"  
  
"Joto," Aki said. "Thanks for the tea, by the way."  
  
"No problem. By the way, I like what you did with your hair."  
  
During breakfast, after everyone was clear on Aki's hair and spring, Dr. Gensai had an announcement to make.  
  
"My sister said she was getting lonely, and invited you to stay with her for another few days. I'm sure she'd love to meet Akiyama-San and Suzuka- San," he announced with a smile.  
  
"When would she like us over there?" asked Kaoru.  
  
"The letter said as soon as possible. And we all know how slow mail can be, especially from where she lives." 


	3. At Izu

Chapter 3  
  
At Izu  
  
The boarders of the Kamiya dojo headed down somewhat of a path. Since the group had more people than the last time, Sano had twice as much luggage to carry.  
  
"Why am I always stuck with luggage?"  
  
"Poor Sano," said Aki as Suzume played with her kasa. "Sweetie, if you push that any further, I won't be able to see." Suzume giggled as she took Aki's kasa from her head. "Eh, it looked better on you anyway. What do you think, Sano?"  
  
Sano looked at Suzume, the kasa covering half of her face. He lifted the straw hat until he could see Suzume. "Fits like a glove," he said with a grin.  
  
A few minutes later, Yahiko decided to break the silence.  
  
"Heh, heh," he chuckled.  
  
"What's so funny?" asked Sano.  
  
" We have two tasteless people!" he said, slapping Sano and Aki on the back with a wide grin.  
  
"No," said Aki. "We have one tactless person. If you have to have an outburst again, do it quietly.Suzume's asleep."  
  
"How much further, Kaoru-San?" asked Suzuka.  
  
"I'd say we have thirty minutes until we get to the bridge," answered Kaoru.  
  
"Good," said Yahiko, walking up. "My feet are beginning to hurt."  
  
Ayame yawned on Suzuka's shoulders.  
  
"It's okay, baby, we're almost there," said Suzuka with a smile  
  
Ayame blinked and nuzzled up to Suzuka's hair and promptly fell asleep.  
  
"I wish we had an instant-communication device or something of the like," said Megumi.  
  
"They have something like that in America," said Kaoru.  
  
"Unfortunately," said Aoshi. "We don't live in the extreme occident."  
  
"Or Yokohama, that we do not," said Kenshin, shaking his head.  
  
"I've heard the Americans are working on a device to make a man fly," said Kaoru, with a dreamy look.  
  
"Hah," said Aki. "If man were meant to fly, he'd have wings."  
  
"Yeah," said Sano. "And if man has a way to have his portrait made in an instant, he must be selling his soul."  
  
Aki nodded in agreement.  
  
"You're the only ones that think any technologies are soul-sucking demons," said Megumi. "What does that tell you?"  
  
"It tells me we're the only ones with sense," Aki responded.  
  
Half an hour later, the traveling group came to the bridge. Everyone passed the bridge without a problem.until Kaoru came to the foot of the bridge in front of Kenshin, as usual.  
  
"Come on, Kaoru-San!" called Aki from the other side of the structure.  
  
"Yeah!" added Suzuka. "Ayame and Suzume didn't have any problems with it!"  
  
"Just don't look down!" shouted Ayame.  
  
"Yeah!" said Suzume. "Don't look down!"  
  
"I hate heights." murmured Kaoru.  
  
"It's okay, Kaoru-San," Kenshin said encouragingly.  
  
"Just hold on to the sides and don't look down, Kaoru-San!" added Aki. "That's what Yahiko did!"  
  
"I did not!" retorted Yahiko.  
  
"I'll try." said Kaoru, finally. She took a deep breath, looked up, gripped the sides of the bridge, held her breath, stepped onto the bridge and.promptly passed out into Kenshin's arms. Who.promptly fell over, his eyes swirls. "Oro..!."  
  
"Okay," said Aki. "Who's going over there to get our navigators?"  
  
After a while of arguing, the group finally got Kenshin and Kaoru over to the other side of the bridge. Kaoru led the group the rest of the way to Dr. Gensai's sister's house. Aki and Suzuka set their loads down. "I'm glad to see.all.of you could make it," said the doctor's sister with a confused look. "There are twice as many of you as there were the last time I saw you. Alright, the old woman needs introductions, who are the rest of you?" she asked with a grin.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori," he said with a slight bow.  
  
"Misao Makimachi," she said with her usual confident air.  
  
"I'm Suzuka Takahashi, Kenshin's cousin," she said with a smile.  
  
"Akiyama Sagara, ma'am," Aki said with a bow. "Just call me Aki."  
  
"Nice to meet you all. You look really worn out, how about some dinner, then a dip in the hot springs?" asked Gensai.  
  
"Yes, thank you, I need that more than you know," said Aki, rubbing her temples. "Bad headache that still won't go away.  
  
"After you get to work of course," she added with an even wider grin. "You two," she said to Kenshin and Sano, throwing them a shovel each. "Scrape all the snow off my roof, and there's a hole in it somewhere, fix that too. You four," she said to Megumi, Suzuka, Misao, and Aki, throwing them an apron each. "Get to work on dinner for the winter solstice. You," she said to Aoshi, throwing him an axe. "Get to work on chopping firewood. And you two," she finally said to Yahiko and Kaoru, tossing them a pile of clothes. "Do the laundry."  
  
Ten minutes later, Kaoru and Yahiko were arguing about how to do the laundry.  
  
"Yahiko, I told you to sort the lights from the darks!"  
  
"What's the point?! I'm not really used to doing laundry anyway!"  
  
"Don't put the soap in that way!! You're supposed to spread it! Not put it in one spot!!"  
  
"What does it matter?! It's just soap!"  
  
"What are you doing to that shirt?! Trying to shred it?!" Kaoru hollered, taking the slightly battered shirt away from Yahiko.  
  
On the roof, Kenshin and Sanosuke were busy throwing snow off the roof while half looking for the hole Gensai was talking about.  
  
"I don't see any hole here.or anywhere else on the roof at all," said Sano.  
  
"I think we should be careful anyway, Sano, that we should. The roof is covered in snow, it could be anywhere, that it could."  
  
Sano, noticing one side on the roof was clear, went on the other side of the roof.  
  
"Sano, I think we should feel around for the hole, instead of guessing where it might be." There was no answer. "Sano?" The small samurai looked around to where he saw his friend crawl to. "Sano." There was an open hole in the snow. "Sano, daijovu ka?"  
  
In the kitchen, Suzuka, Megumi, Aki, and Misao were trying to make a fairly large dinner without killing each other." Fox girl, I said I was going to cut the carrots, you take care of the octopus!" said Misao, waving some of her knives, starting on the carrots.  
  
"Well, excuse me, I thought I would help with the carrots since I was done with the takoyaki," said Megumi, moving on to something else.  
  
"What do we need for the bread now, Suzuka-San?" asked Aki, from another counter of the kitchen.  
  
"Hm," said the small ninja-samurai. "Flour, I'm almost finished with the eggs."  
  
"Alright, I'll get the flour, then," said Aki, walking over to the bags set in the middle of the room. Suddenly, snow, roof tile, wood, and.someone fell through the ceiling, right on the flour, making the white substance explode throughout the room. She coughed up some flour out of her mouth, which she was covered with from head to foot. Not mention the half-melted snow. Which wasn't so half-melted now. "Or.vice versa."  
  
Sano, covered in flour and snow, slowly got up and yelled into the ceiling, "Kenshin.I found the hole!" Sano was answered with an unintelligible response, shortly after with hammering of nails to boards.  
  
"Yes, and you also found the flour," said Aki, blowing some off her face. "There goes that bread Suzuka and I were making.oh well." Aki brushed herself off.  
  
Aoshi opened the door, and looked in. He raised eyebrow at Sano in the flour. The floor was still covered the tiles, splinters, snow, and flour, Aki had done a somewhat crude job of brushing herself off, and everyone else had their backs covered in flour. He couldn't help himself, with the way this day was going, it was a nice turn of events. He started out with just a snicker, then burst out into hysterical laughter.  
  
"What's so funny that could make Aoshi laugh?" asked Yahiko, walking in, who immediately started laughing.  
  
Kaoru walked in and started to snicker, then right out laughed, covering her face with her hand. Suzuka was laughing so hard after seeing Aki, she had her head on the counter. Megumi was giggling through her hand. Misao was laughing so hard, she had to hold herself. Aki chuckled, shaking her head at Sano covered in snow, flour, roof tiles, and splinters who was chuckling to himself as well.  
  
"THAT SOUND BETTER BE THE SOUND OF HARD WORK, NOT WHAT I THINK IT IS!!" shouted Gensai's voice. She walked in with a smile. "I was just joking about that earlier, I already have dinner made in the cabinets, all I need the roof fixed up. Now," she said to Aki and Sano. "Let's get you two into some robes and into the hot springs before you catch pneumonia," she added, leading them outside.  
  
Everyone laughed even harder at the odd expressions on their faces as the old woman pushed them outside, Ayame and Suzume trailing after them.  
  
"I think that's our cue," said Suzuka through bouts of laughter, going after them, followed by Megumi, Kaoru, Misao, Megumi, and Yahiko. Aoshi was in such a good mood, he decided to get a broom and sweep the mess out of the room. Kenshin, finally finished with his job walked in.  
  
"What was all the laughing about, Aoshi?" he asked.  
  
"Kenshin, my friend, you walked in on the wrong moment."  
  
Kenshin just shrugged and grabbed another broom and started to help Aoshi with the flour.and.was that.a roof tile?  
  
"Kanpai!" shouted the group of friends, raising their glasses to one another's health, the end of winter, and the coming of spring.  
  
"This stuff is really good," said Sano after taking a bite.  
  
"It better be, you owe me five bags of flour, klutz," said Gensai, taking a sip of her green tea with a scowl.  
  
"Don't expect it any time soon," said Aki, her still wet hair hanging over her shoulder resting on a towel. "He still owes me.how many yen from when we were ten? I lost count before we ever turned ten."  
  
Sano scratched the back of his head, pretending not to hear.  
  
"He wastes all his 'money' on gambling," said Yahiko.  
  
"Not surprised," said Aki, taking a sip of her own green tea. "You always were a littlepunk, weren't you, baka?"  
  
"If I remember correctly, you were a little demon yourself, battle axe."  
  
"Who the heck are we trying to kid? Who wouldn't be a punk growing up around elderbrothers like the Sekihottai?"  
  
"Yahiko Miyoji, of course," said Yahiko.  
  
Aki and Sano gave each other strange looks and erupted into hysterical laughter.  
  
"Does he always speak in third person?" asked Suzuka of Kenshin.  
  
"Sometimes," he answered.  
  
"Only when he's full of himself," added Kaoru.  
  
"Hey," whispered Megumi in Suzuka's ear. "Aren't afraid to sit so close to Kaoru-San? I am. If she keeps eating those octopus balls, she might sprout tentacles."  
  
Suzuka tried extremely hard not to laugh at .but she couldn't help herself.  
  
"What is it?" asked Kaoru after just swallowing some takoyaki.  
  
That didn't help, it only made Suzuka and Megumi laugh harder.  
  
"And I expect those five bags of flour paid for or returned before you leave!" said Gensai to Sano.  
  
"If I know Sano, he's more broke than a beggar," said Aki  
  
"You're not helping." he muttered.  
  
"Maybe he could work it off for you, Gensai-San."  
  
"Hm," said the old woman. "Deal," she concluded, shaking Aki's hand.  
  
"Gee, I feel included," said Sano sarcastically.  
  
"If you didn't fall on the flour, you wouldn't have this problem!" said Aki and Gensai.  
  
"It wasn't my fault I didn't know where the stupid hole was!!"  
  
"You should have felt around first," scolded Aki. "If you'd have at least done that I wouldn't have this bloody cold, now would I? Now I have to drink green tea until I get better. Which isn't so bad, but if I didn't like it, you'd be in a lot more trouble than you are now," she added, pulling her towel closer.  
  
"Yeah, but it did get us a dip in the hot springs.sort of." said Misao.  
  
"And it did give us a good laugh," added Aki.  
  
"Yeah, I did need to bleach the back of my kimono." said Megumi with a chuckle.  
  
"Yeah, my hair needed a few highlights, too," added Suzuka with another chuckle.  
  
"And it half-fried some of the takoyaki."  
  
"I think it was enough to make three loaves of bread."  
  
"It gave Aki another new hair color."  
  
"It whitewashed the kitchen."  
  
"Can we stop talking about that?!" asked Sano.  
  
"We can keep talking about that while you clean up after us to start paying for those bags of flour," suggested Gensai.  
  
"Yeah, Sano, you seem to be done," said Aki, noticing his empty plate.  
  
"I was about to get more."  
  
"A man that doesn't work, doesn't eat," said Gensai.  
  
"Wait a minute," said Aki. "Sorry, Gensai-San, but I think I have to be a bit defensive. He is after all, a patient. Baka, let me see your leg."  
  
Sano gave her an odd look.  
  
"I think I saw you limping earlier," she muttered under her breath, glancing to Gensai without her seeing.  
  
Aki examined his leg while Gensai looked over her shoulder. "How does it look?"  
  
"I think when he fell some of the stuff got into the wound," Aki reported. "The flour didn't help either."  
  
"Can't you tell she's just faking, take a look for yourself, Gensai-Sama," said Megumi.  
  
"Actually," said Gensai, looking at his leg. "There is some dried flour.you must have gotten the splinters out already. You must really be a doctor. You know, I've been having the oddest headaches that keep coming back."  
  
Megumi gave them odd looks as Aki suggested an herb and Gensai nodded in agreement. "Let me see that wound!" she demanded, walking over.  
  
"What is this?!" asked Sano. "Look-at-Sano's-Leg Day and someone just didn't tell me or something?!"  
  
"Oh, shut up and just let me see it!"  
  
Aki shook her head and went back to her seat as did Gensai.  
  
"Darn it, they're right."  
  
"So you see Gensai-San, and Megumi-San, he should be out of work for a while." Aki covered her mouth to cough, muttering something about allergy season.  
  
Megumi went back to her seat as Gensai sat in thought.  
  
"I guess you're off the hook then," she said to Sano.  
  
"Now that that's over with, I'm going to make some more tea," said Aki, wiping her hair with her towel, heading towards the kitchen. She came back with more tea in her hand. "Nice job cleaning up Aoshi-San and Kenshin- San," she said happily.  
  
"Would you quit it with the 'San' thing?!" demanded Megumi.  
  
"I don't know, would you quit it with the 'Sama' thing?"  
  
"I can't help it if I show respect for those I should show respect for."  
  
"Isn't that what the expression 'San' is used for?"  
  
"Isn't that what the expression 'Sama' is used for as well?"  
  
Aki rolled her eyes as Megumi crossed her arms in a huff.  
  
"Okay," said Gensai. "How about we find something useful to argue about?"  
  
"Yeah," said Misao. "Like who's gonna pass me the saké."  
  
"Sure," said Aki, passing the bottle while rubbing her temples. "I'm going to bed. O yasumi," she mumbled, walking down the hall (taking her tea with her) with a few coughs.  
  
"Poor Aki," said Kaoru.  
  
"What a strange character to put on one's back," said Gensai, apparently just noticing the sign one Aki's back as she retreated into the hall. "I noticed it on your back too, --what did she call you?-baka."  
  
"I've been telling them it's really tasteless," said Yahiko. "But they don't listen to me."  
  
"Hey, she's got a better excuse than I do," said Sano. "That coat and sword were her only heirlooms from her father."  
  
"Sort of like your samurai spirit, Yahiko. You inherited that from your father, right?" said Kenshin.  
  
"You're right," said Yahiko. "But that still doesn't give Sanosuke an excuse."  
  
"Captain Sagara was.like a father to everyone in the Sekihottai," said Sano. "So, technically, I have an excuse."  
  
"Curse Spring and all its pollen," said Aki, waling through the dining room, putting her empty tea cup in the kitchen sink to be cleaned later. "And curse Winter and all its half-melted snow." she paused to sneeze. "Curse all allergies," she finished, going back to the room.  
  
"I think Auntie Aki needs a tickle fest," said Ayame.  
  
"Yeah, a tickle fest!" repeated Suzume, getting up with her sister.  
  
"No, no, no, no," said Kaoru, plopping the small girls in her lap. "She needs some sleep."  
  
"She'll be better by tomorrow, though," said Sano. "She recovers from colds as fast as I recover from injuries."  
  
"Why are you still limping then, Sanosuke?" asked Kaoru.  
  
"I never said anything about recovering from infection, missy." Sano yawned. "Yeah, I'd better get to bed too. That herb she gave me is part sedative apparently," he said limping down the hall.  
  
"Oh, Sanosuke," said Kaoru.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"That's not our room," said Kenshin.  
  
"Oh, so it isn't," he said , scratching his head as he walked across the hall to the right room.  
  
"Either he's really desperate or half asleep," said Aoshi.  
  
"Probably both," said Suzuka  
  
"Could be."  
  
"I think if they didn't grow up together, he would have more than just an infection in a stitched up leg."  
  
"Most definitely."  
  
"Don't think I don't hear what you're saying!" hollered Sano's voice from the hall.  
  
"Baka!" said Aki's. "Shut up!!"  
  
"Took the words right out of my mouth," said Misao.  
  
Ayame and her sister suddenly yawned.  
  
"I think you two should get to sleep, too," said Kaoru.  
  
"Hey!" said Ayame. "We could help Auntie Aki get to sleep!"  
  
"Yeah!" said Suzume. "We could help her get to sleep!" The two scampered off into the hall.  
  
Everyone looked up to the sound of a knock at the door. "I'll get that," said Gensai, walking towards the front room. "Yutaro-San," she said. "Shouldn't you be at home with your arm the way it is?" she asked.  
  
Yahiko raised an eyebrow at the name.  
  
"I'm here to pay a visit to one of your guests," said the boy's voice. "I've heard your brother's friends from Tokyo came today. I have some.unfinished business with one of them."  
  
"I don't know, Yutaro-San, I think you should rest," said Gensai. "You, yourself, arrived only a few days ago from your uncle's house in Germany."  
  
Yahiko's other eyebrow went up to his hairline with the other as Yutaro stalked over to the kitchen door and slammed it open.  
  
"Keep it down!" Aki's voice shouted from her room.  
  
Yutaro gave a startled look at the new voice.and the new additions seated at the table. Then figured it didn't matter anyway. He shook his head and daggers at Yahiko.  
  
"Tomorrow. Noon. My house. I challenge you to a rematch from the last time we went against each other," he proclaimed. He spun on his heel and walked out of the house.  
  
"He just keeps getting weirder and weirder," said Yahiko as the front door slammed shut.  
  
"Does everyone just not want me to sleep today or something?" asked Aki walking out of the hall.  
  
"Aki, you're looking a lot better than.a few minutes ago," said Kaoru. "You really do recover from colds rather quickly."  
  
"I'm gonna need a second tomorrow," Yahiko pondered.  
  
"What?" asked Aki. "A second what? Why?"  
  
"Thanks for volunteering, Aki," said Suzuka, walking away.  
  
"Yeah, I don't really think I'd want to do that," said Aoshi. "Really helpful of you to volunteerto do that."  
  
Everyone else thanked her for "volunteering" until all that was left seated at the table were she, Misao, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Yahiko.  
  
"Might I ask what I supposedly volunteered for?" asked Aki.  
  
"I'm in a duel," said Yahiko, putting on an important look.  
  
"Tomorrow at Yutaro's house," added Kaoru.  
  
Aki gave a confused stare.  
  
"Don't worry," said Kenshin. "Everyone's going whether they like it or not, that they are."  
  
"I'm a second for a ten year-old?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah!" said Yahiko. "You use a sword! you could take my place if anything happens to me so I can keep my honor!"  
  
"I don't use the Kamiya Kashiin style, though."  
  
"I could teach you!" said Kaoru. "I'd have a student closer to my own age!"  
  
"No thank you, I have my own style."  
  
"But, Aki, you volunteered!"  
  
"No I didn't, I asked what he needed a second for. I'll referee, but I'm not playing second to someone who might not even get hurt. Especially not for one half my age."  
  
"Okay, who is this kid?" asked Misao.  
  
"I'd like to know that too," added Aki.  
  
"His name's Yutaro," said Kaoru. "His father owned this mansion on the coast, but he died. So Yutaro was left to tend to the mansion alone with his father's servants. When we first came here, he and Yahiko had a.dispute, for lack of a better word. Anyway, Yutaro's hand-picked sensei, (a crazed manslayer planning on making a new kingdom) injured him, rendering his right arm completely useless."  
  
Kenshin picked up from there. "So, his servants decided it was best that he go to Germany to live with his uncle for a time. Yahiko eventually convinced Yutaro that he could use his left arm instead of his disabled right arm. And now he's back."  
  
"We have to be there at noon tomorrow!" said Yahiko, more spirited than usual. "You think you'll be ready by then?!"  
  
"For the last time, I'm not going to be your second!" 


	4. The Shinkoryu Returns

Chapter 4  
  
The Shinko-ryu Returns  
  
The half melted snow on the ground had finally melted all the way the next morning as the Kamiya tenants walked to Yutaro-San's house down a gorgeous Izu trail.  
  
"You say he owns a mansion?" asked Suzuka.  
  
"Yeah," said Kaoru. "And when he's not trying to challenge Yahiko, he's a pretty nice kid. His servants respect him more than you'd think."  
  
"And all these servants, this mansion, and money doesn't go to his head?" asked Aki. "Well, he did have a stubborn streak for a while, but he eventually got over that, that he did," answered Kenshin.  
  
"How is my loyal second today?" piped up Yahiko.  
  
"Forget it, Yahiko." Aki growled.  
  
"But Yutaro has faithful servants, why can't I have a faithful second?!"  
  
Aki gave him a strange look. "Yahiko-Chan, I'll be the referee, I'll even be your babysitter, but not your second."  
  
"I'd listen to her, kid," said Sano. "We didn't name her battleaxe for nothing."  
  
Yahiko was about to retort, when a familiar voice rang out. "Ohayo gozaimasu!"  
  
"Ohayo, Yutaro-San," said Kaoru with a bow. "You're not accompanied.are you sure that's safe?"  
  
"No one's been around here since the leaders of the Shinko technique were arrested."  
  
"Hey, Yutaro," said Yahiko. "This is my second," he declared, indicating Aki.  
  
"No, I'm not. However, I do have an identity. I'm Aki," she said with a bow. "Nice to meet you."  
  
"Nice to meet you, too," said Yutaro, returning the bow. "Now that we've figured you were going to use a lady against her will, Miyoji, I'm even more determined to beat you. By the way, ma'am, you and your party are welcome to make yourselves at home. Our duel will only last a minute."  
  
Aki thought a minute before answering. "Thanks for your hospitality, I think I'll stay and watch. The baka'll stay too. He's not too strong with thought, but his muscles make up for all of that," she said with a smile to the young boys and a warning look to Sano.  
  
Sano was about to retort when he heard slight rustling in the bushes and a confirming glance from Aki told him there were more guests than were supposed to be. "Sure, I'll stay for a while," he said. "Besides, there's not much to do right now anyway."  
  
"Are you sure, Sano?" asked Kenshin as everyone else headed up the rest of the path.  
  
Sano nodded and glanced towards the bushes, trying to keep the tension down for the young duelists.  
  
"Oh," said Kenshin. "I'll be back in a while, then," he added, running a few paces to catch up with the rest of his group.  
  
"What?" asked Aki after Kenshin went. "Are you going to fight or just stand there and glare at each other?"  
  
"Oh," said the boys, realizing who they were glaring at.  
  
Aki and Sano watched the match while also keeping an eye on the surrounding bushes. They also threw in a few cheers for Yutaro so not the draw to much attention to their glances at their unexpected guests.  
  
Suddenly, out from the bushes came a few legs, each belonging to a different man. Again, the boys were too engrossed in beating the other they didn't notice the intruders. But they did notice when Aki and Sano drew their weapons to protect them.  
  
One of the men drew his sword and rushed at Yutaro, his sword aimed for the young man. Aki blocked him just in time to save the small boy.  
  
This guy was good. He bared down on their locked blades with gritted teeth. It took nearly all she had just to keep her blade from slipping. She could hear bodies falling unconscious to the ground behind her. At least she had back up. She quickly glanced behind her. Yutaro sat on the ground, staring as if spellbound. Why didn't the little fool run?! She quickly grabbed her scythe with her other hand and used it as a parrying weapon to help with her grip on the other blade. Wait, who was that behind him? Sano? Her friend gave her grin and motioned for her to throw him the guy. He wanted to play Sekihottai, did he?  
  
"Fine," she said. "We'll play Sekihottai."  
  
The man in front of her gave her a confused look and grunt as she kicked him in the stomach, toppling backwards into Sano. Who effectively punched the guy out by use of the back of the head.  
  
She turned around, seeing the of the intruders either moaning or unconscious on the ground. She helped the young lord, who was still sitting, staring into abyss, off the ground.  
  
"Daijovu ka, Yutaro-San?" she asked.  
  
"You saved me.just like Kenshin did.and Raijuta." he responded, but still in a quite detached way. Now she was even more confused.  
  
"We'll explain later," said Yahiko. "Where's Kenshin?" he asked, looking around. So the brat had paid attention to something other than the duel.  
  
"What did I miss?" asked the small samurai's voice coming from behind them.  
  
"Too much," responded Sano.  
  
"You must teach me your style of swordsmanship!" Yutaro called, apparently just come out of his trance. "With your style along with the Kamiya Kashiin, I'll be stronger than ever!"  
  
Now she was plain taken aback. She had never been offered a teaching job. Much less in swordsmanship! "Nah," she answered. "I don't think I'd make a very good teacher. I don't have the same morals as Kaoru-San. You'd do better with her. Trust me. Now let's get back to the mansion before everyone starts worrying, ne?"  
  
"So," said Kaoru as Yutaro, Yahiko, Kenshin, Aki, and Sano walked up to the front steps of the mansion. "How did your rematch go, Yutaro?"  
  
"Yeah!" said Misao, running to stand next to Aki. "I heard a mauling! How'd it go? How'd it go?! You don't look too scratched up, so you must've done somebody in! What happened?!" she asked excitedly.  
  
"We were the ones that got mauled, but we did 'em in, anyway, ne, Sano?" Aki responded with an elbow in her friend's stomach.  
  
"Yeah, we also brought in an old routine from the Sekihottai days, ne, Aki?" her friend retorted with his own nudging elbow.  
  
"Yeah." said Aki, walking off with two of her closest friends.  
  
"That didn't tell me much." said Kaoru.  
  
"You should've seen it!" exclaimed Yutaro. "She saved me!" he added, pointing in the direction Aki had just gone with Sanosuke and Misao. "But then again, it's sort of depressing. I owe my life to three people."  
  
"Don't think of it that way, Yutaro-San," said Kenshin. "You should think of it as three people you owe your respect to, that you should."  
  
"So," said Suzuka, joining in. "What was all the metal banging about?" she asked.  
  
Yutaro and Yahiko both jumped into an extremely detailed explanation of the ambush and the fight that took place afterwards. Whether the two rivals liked it or not, they were too much alike to even notice. Like two different-colored peas in the same pod, thought Kaoru with a smile at two of her students.  
  
"What?!" shouted Suzuka, suddenly. "And I missed it?! Why didn't you holler my name or something?! I never miss a fight! I can't believe I missed it! I thought it was someone sharpening their swords or something like that! Hoé." Kenshin's cousin shook her head and went back to her own sword. "Who do think those bandits were?" asked Kenshin. At dinner in Yutaro's house.  
  
"I don't know," said Aki. "They didn't identify themselves or anything."  
  
"Hm.I'm going to have to go into town, then, tonight, that I am," Kenshin stated.  
  
"I'll go with you," said Aki. "I've just realized I know everyone here but you. So, why not? Are we leaving after dinner?" she asked.  
  
"All right, then, after dinner it is."  
  
Kaoru suddenly got a very disapproving face.  
  
"What is it, Kaoru-San?" Kenshin asked.  
  
She glanced from him to Aki.  
  
Aki suddenly got what was implying and laughed out-loud. "The closest thing to a couple here other than you and Kenshin is me and Sano! Don't worry about it, nothing's going to happen!"  
  
Kaoru bowed her head and blushed.  
  
"After all this time you still don't trust him?" Aki asked with a smile.  
  
"Well." Kaoru started, looking away.  
  
~  
  
After dinner, Aki and Kenshin set out for town to tell the police, and everyone else went to Gensai's house after a few minutes of conversation.  
  
The humid air lingered as the former members of the Shinko technique, again, plotted for Izu as their nation. Breaking out of prison was all too easy for superior fighters like themselves.  
  
"You think we can pull this off without Raijuta?" asked one.  
  
"We'll have to see." growled another, following someone outside the bushes with his eyes. Everyone drew their swords and loomed in the bushes.  
  
"Who is it?" asked the other.  
  
"Himura." he hissed. "And some.wait.she wears the sign of the Sekihottai!"  
  
"Seems it's time to make our presence known to our fellow-revolutionaries."  
  
"No, later, Chuei."  
  
"Who do you think the bandits were?" asked Kenshin further down the path to town.  
  
"Maybe they were from the bandits who were here before," suggested Aki.  
  
"But the leaders of the Shinko style were arrested and thrown in prison."  
  
"You never know, Kenshin-San. Hey, what did they want when they were here?"  
  
"They wanted to use the Izu estate lands as an illegitimate nation for their style of fighting, that they did."  
  
Aki sighed. "The revolutionaries have to realize the revolution was fought, and we lost. Another revolution would be useless. I don't want to ever have to see that kind of suffering again. That's one of the things that drove me to treat peasants free of charge."  
  
The two revolution survivors talked of their pasts as they continued their walk to tell authorities of the crimes committed.  
  
A few hours later, the same circle of the Shinko style stayed in the same spot to wait for the same pair of travelers.  
  
"There's Himura again." hissed one.  
  
"Right. Remember, go for the woman. Himura knows us."  
  
"Right."  
  
The members of the Shinko style aimed over a dozen sword tips for the woman's neck, catching both the wanderers off-guard. The woman stared back with an emotionless face. Her expression remained emotionless as another of the style threw an arm across her shoulders. He smiled at the small, startled samurai.  
  
"Tell Yutaro.-Sama, the Shinko is back. Come on," the man said to Aki. "Let's go talk business." Aki shifted her gaze to Kenshin and mouthed, "Don't worry" as the Shinko members slinked back into the darkness with her as a hostage.  
  
As soon as the Shinko and Aki started into the darkness, Kenshin started for Gensai's house as fast as he could.  
  
Kenshin finally reached the house and quietly opened the door. Sano, Aoshi, and Suzuka were the only ones awake.  
  
"What is it, itoko?" asked Suzuka.  
  
"Yeah, you look like you just saw a ghost," said Aoshi.  
  
"Sano, Aki's been kidnapped," Kenshin said to his friend.  
  
"She what?!" Sano shouted, getting to his feet.  
  
"The last remaining members of the Shinko style took her hostage."  
  
"Let's go find her, then," said Suzuka as Sano bounded out the door, his zan-batou slung over his shoulder.  
  
Aki, using the fast instincts she developed over ten years of wandering finally escaped the Shinko camp. The fools thought to induct her into their nation just because she was once in the Sekihottai. That and they needed a woman for what they called "population" purposes. People like that made her sick. She mentally cursed as she heard a few running after her. What was their problem?! Why did they want to make a nation, anyway?! And why did they want her in it?! She hadn't volunteered to want to know too dang much about the idiotic nation.  
  
She suddenly noticed she was running on top of a small cave. She, unfortunately, didn't have time to hide.  
  
Aki jumped off the formation and nearly let out a scream as a hand slid over her mouth as the other arm pulled her into the cave by her waist. She thought another of the Shinko style had trapped her, but she was reassured when she heard a familiar voice. "It's alright, Aki-San, it's just us, that it is," Kenshin's voice said. She relaxed her head on Sano's shoulder as he let her mouth free.  
  
Two figures leaped out of the cave and unconscious figures of the Shinko style fell from atop the cave. Aoshi and Suzuka came back in the cave. "Their leader will come by and find them later, let's get out of here while they think differently," Suzuka said.  
  
"Kenshin-San," said Aki as she and her friends ran back to Gensai's house. "I told you not to worry."  
  
"But I didn't worry, Aki-San," he said with a smile. "I acted, that I did."  
  
"I have a question," Aki started. "How is it the most capable fighters in the house were the only ones awake?"  
  
"Sagara, here, had a bad feeling, so he made us stay up," Suzuka explained.  
  
"He did, huh?" Aki said, turning a scowl to Sano.  
  
Sano thought she was going to lecture him about treating her like an equal and not a helpless little woman in distress.  
  
Her scowl turned to a smile. "Thanks, Sano."  
  
Well, that was unexpected.  
  
"Guess we're even then, huh?" Sano asked.  
  
"Yeah," Aki agreed. "That's how it usually ends up."  
  
In their Sekihottai days the smaller additions to the group usually volunteered to be bait or take the watch for small missions. Every time one or both of them would save the other, the favor was always repaid in one way or the other.  
  
When they finally came to Gensai's house, they were greeted with a very angry and very awake Kaoru, Megumi, and Misao sitting in the front room.  
  
"I thought I heard you three leaving," said Kaoru.  
  
"I better not have missed anything," said Misao.  
  
"How could you leave your friends and your host without telling anyone?" asked Megumi.  
  
"Why were you up, anyway?" added Kaoru.  
  
"I had a bad feeling that proved right," said Sano.  
  
"What was the bad feeling, then?" asked Megumi.  
  
"Aki-San was kidnapped by the leaders of the Shinko style," said Aoshi.  
  
Kaoru gasped.  
  
"And you didn't come and get us?" asked Misao.  
  
"You were asleep," said Suzuka.  
  
"Besides," said Sano. "Aoshi and Suzuka were the only ones who saw any action."  
  
"Is Aki alright?" asked Megumi.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks to Sano's insomnia," said Aki, walking in.  
  
Everyone else walked in after her.  
  
"That's appalling," said Kaoru after Aki told everyone why the Shinko wanted her to join in their nation.  
  
Misao shivered at the thought of it.  
  
"How did you escape?" asked Megumi.  
  
"While they were distracted, I got out and started running.of course. Then they started running after me. Apparently, our little crew had stationed themselves in a cave and were waiting for me." She motioned to Kenshin, Aoshi, Suzuka, and Sano. "Sano pulled me into the cave, Aoshi and Suzuka defeated the ones who ran after me, and we ran the rest of the way here."  
  
"What would have happened if they weren't there?" asked Misao.  
  
"They probably would have eventually caught up to me and.you can take it from there. I know I have over and over.and each time it gets worse."  
  
"I know you just got home and everything, but it's really late, and I'm really sleepy," said Kaoru.  
  
"You read my mind," said Suzuka as she, Megumi, Misao, Kaoru, and Aki went to the girl's bedroom.  
  
"Finally, someone realized what time it is." said Aoshi, heading for the other guest bedroom.  
  
"We'll get 'em in the morning," Sano growled, loudly cracking his knuckles. 


	5. Green Tea

Chapter 5  
  
Green Tea  
  
The next morning, the fighting boarders of the Kamiya dojo decided to take on the leaders of the Shinko style once more.  
  
"Aki-San," said Kenshin. "Do you remember where their camp was?"  
  
"I can't tell you where it is, but I could lead you there," she answered.  
  
"No!" shouted Sano. "I don't want you ever going there again! We'll just find it ourselves!!"  
  
She met him with an unmoved stare. "After that encounter with Shindo at the dojo, I've learned running away from my fights is too risky." Her expression suddenly changed to a smile. "So you're going to have to put up with an extra ally, okay?"  
  
"These guys fight with blades of any kind, right?" asked Misao.  
  
"Mostly swords, but some of them have other types of blades, that they do," explained Kenshin.  
  
"Yes!!" Misao shouted.  
  
"Alright!" Suzuka exclaimed. "My first fight in.two days."  
  
"These guys also apparently have overactive...ano..let's say an overactive motivation when it comes to individuals of the other gender," Aki added.  
  
Kaoru made an odd face and shuddered. Suzuka growled and popped her knuckles. "Heh," Misao said in response. "Those are easier to beat up!"  
  
"I like the way you think!" Aki stated.  
  
Yahiko put on a rather discombobulated face. "What are they talking about, Kenshin?"  
  
"Oro.....Sano, maybe you'd like to explain...?"  
  
"Oh, no, Kenshin, he asked you."  
  
"Well, Sanosuke," said Aoshi. "I heard you have one of those things, too."  
  
"You do, Sano?" Aki asked with a laugh before he could defend himself. "You never told me that. Tou-San most definitely didn't know."  
  
Everyone tried to keep in high hearts, but as they drew nearer to the camp, their conversations faltered and eventually stopped as did their journey. They stared down at tents and sacks knowing what they held.  
  
"Himura-San, Sagara-San!" the police captain said, walking up with a salute. "Ohayo. I've come to tell you that the leaders of the Shinko style are no longer here. They snuck off in the early morning to Yutaro- San's mansion. We have surrounded the edifice, but the perpetrators have taken he and his staff hostage."  
  
"What are their demands?" asked Kenshin.  
  
"They request the presence of Himura-San and Sagara-San seeing as they know of their ambitious nation. They request you come alone and unarmed."  
  
Kaoru gasped, Suzuka growled, Aoshi's icy blue eyes turned to frozen metal, Yahiko glanced in the direction Yutaro's mansion was, Misao took out her knives, Kenshin nodded in acknowledgement, and Sano clenched his zan-batou. "Lead the way," Aki said coldly.  
  
The group started toward the well-known mansion.  
  
"Why are we stopping?" Kaoru asked. "They want you and Kenshin. Kenshin already left his sword with one of us."  
  
"If they want a dirty fight," said Aki, handing Kenshin his sword back from Yahiko. "We'll fight dirty."  
  
The rescue party huddled to formulate a plan.  
  
~  
  
"What are they up to?" asked one of the Shinko as he stared out the window.  
  
"Why are the police retreating?" asked another.  
  
"Where are Sagara and Himura?" There was a knock at the mansion door.  
  
"That should be them."  
  
"Chuei, get that."  
  
"Hai."  
  
Chuei went to the double doors of the mansion and opened them. There stood a policeman of low rank apparently. "I have a message. The captain of the patrol says Kenshin Himura and Akiyama Sagara will arrive here at approximately sunset." Not being one to take his rage out on a mere messenger, Chuei nodded, and shut the door.  
  
"Sir," he reported. "Bad news, I'm afraid."  
  
~  
  
"Which window do you think the hostages are in?" Aki asked behind the tall trees of the Izu mansion.  
  
"I've got them!" said Suzuka, looking through a telescope.  
  
"Do you think you and Aoshi can take care of the hostage situation?"  
  
"Aoshi should be here in a minute with a ladder that should reach the window."  
  
"Good. Sir, do you think we could borrow any cloaks from the police force?"  
  
"Of course, I'll just get one of my men to find a few, ma'am," the captain reassured her.  
  
"Kenshin, when we get to the gate, don't go any further. Sano, Misao, Kaoru, Yahiko, you four wait behind the gate until they come at us. We've got an hour until sunset. There can't be any mistakes."  
  
"Calm down, battleaxe, like you said, we have an hour," said Sano.  
  
Aki sighed and shook her head. "I wish I had a battleaxe."  
  
~  
  
Yutaro hung his head. He had been tricked by the leaders of the Shinko style again. Yahiko would never let him live it down if he knew. After hours of waiting for Kenshin and Aki, Yutaro figured they probably left for Tokyo before they found out or ran off at the news. Quite frankly, he didn't blame them.  
  
He looked up at his staff. They were all tied and bound just like him. He looked at the expressions on their faces. He knew exactly what they were thinking. This would have never happened if his father was still here. Their only hope now was a miracle. As if to torture him, the gang of thieves placed him right under the window, but too low to see out of it.  
  
Suddenly, the window opened and a ninja smiled down to him. The newcomer propped the window up with a stick. Wasn't she at Gensai's house with Yahiko? She crept past everyone to the door. She tried to open it, but the kidnappers had locked it. Surprisingly, she took something out and picked the lock. She lowered her mask and took Yutaro's gag off.  
  
"How many guards are there?" she asked in barely a whisper. He just realized, she looked a lot like Kenshin. He quickly gathered his senses and told her there were two, one on each side of the door. She nodded and signaled out the window. Another ninja, this one a man, climbed the ladder they had propped to the window. "Take care of the hostages, I'll tend to the guards."  
  
The other ninja nodded and swiftly unbound everyone.  
  
The first shinobi put some brass knuckles on and opened the door.  
  
The guards, surprised, poked their heads inside. Their heads met with the shinobi's brass knuckles and nearly fell to the floor, but she caught them before they hit with a crash.  
  
"What are your names?" Yutaro asked as the second shinobi unbound him.  
  
"Now is not the time for questions, Yutaro-San," he answered, hefting him up and out the window, followed by everyone else.  
  
~  
  
Aki looked down at the cloak she now wore. Kenshin wore one similar. She wondered again how well this plan would work. She really couldn't tell until Suzuka and Aoshi came back. Or the leaders of the Shinko-ryu noticed there were hostages missing. Whichever came first. She looked out at the horizon. From the looks of it, they had about ten minutes.  
  
She could see the rest of the police patrol escorting the hostages from the mansion, Suzuka and Aoshi bringing up the rear. Yutaro safely in Aoshi's arms.  
  
Yutaro said something to Aoshi and he put him down. The small boy walked up to her and Kenshin, and smiled. "I would tell you to not let them take my father's house, but I know you won't. So, take care of yourselves. That goes for you, too, Myojin."  
  
"Yeah, I hear you," Yahiko responded.  
  
"We should start for the gates, that we should," Kenshin said.  
  
"Everybody knows what to do, right?" Aki asked.  
  
"We know, stay in the trees until we hear the jerks going for you," said Sano.  
  
"Good luck, Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
"Yeah," said Sano, throwing an arm around Aki. "Good luck to you, too, of course."  
  
She looked at her friend with a grin. "Thanks."  
  
The sun was just starting to set when the fighters set off again, four of them hidden in the trees.  
  
~  
  
"They should be here soon," said one of the Shinko-ryu as the sun started to set.  
  
"Should I check on the prisoners?" asked another. "We haven't heard a peep from them or the guards all day."  
  
"Yeah, those two should have at least asked to switch posts with two of us."  
  
"Fine, Chuei, check on the prisoners."  
  
Chuei nodded and ran down the hall.  
  
"Do you think anything happened to them?"  
  
"Not unless Himura and Sagara have an army of shinobi," the leader answered with a cackle.  
  
"Sir!" said Chuei, slamming the doors open.  
  
"What is it, you blithering idiot?"  
  
"The prisoners are gone and the guards..."  
  
"What about the guards?"  
  
"They look like they were hit with brass knuckles."  
  
The leader was speechless. "Maybe they do have an army of ninja! I told you we should take more caution with them, sir!" The leader looked out the window again.  
  
"Himura and Sagara are here. Let's greet our guests, shall we?"  
  
~  
  
"Well," said Kenshin. "Here we are. The Shinko-ryu should be here any minute."  
  
As if to answer, four or five dozen men with swords poured through the windows and doors of the mansion. They looked as if they were about to attack, but they stopped right in front of the two. "I assume you're alone? No weapons that I can see. Good. I'll give one more chance to join the nation. So, what'll it be?"  
  
"Look," said Aki. "The revolution is over. And we lost. Get over it . Making a nation isn't going to do anything. Part of the United States tried to do that, they fought a war, they lost. That didn't even happen that long ago. No way am I going to be part of a doomed nation." Kenshin blinked. "I agree with Aki-San, that I do. What's the point in being part of something that's doomed to failure?"  
  
The leader cackled and drew his sword. "You aren't unarmed, we know about the hostages and your little plan. Do you think we were stupid enough to ask you two to come unarmed and actually expect it? Now take off those cloaks and fight!"  
  
After the fight started, Sano, Misao, Kaoru, and Yahiko came around the edges of the gates, and Suzuka and Aoshi leaped from the walls of the gates onto their opponents.  
  
"I thought you were alone!" the leaders screamed as he and Aki fought.  
  
"I thought you knew about our little plan!" she answered, parrying and riposting his attack, which landed, sending him tumbling unconscious to the ground.  
  
After a while, the police patrol, holding swords broke in the fight, to help with the numbers. Finally after all their struggles, the battle was over, and the Shinko-ryu was put under arrest yet again.  
  
~  
  
A week later, all the tenants of the Kamiya dojo were safely back in Tokyo.  
  
"Where's Aki?" asked Misao, lounging back on the porch.  
  
"Auntie-Aki said she had to go see a patient," said Ayame.  
  
"Yeah! A patient!" repeated Suzume.  
  
"I guess no one in this house will ever die of sickness," said Dr. Gensai with his usual smile. "Three doctors in one dojo."  
  
"Kaoru!!" screamed Yahiko coming around from the back of the house.  
  
"What?!" Kaoru asked, opening the door.  
  
"I'm hungry and there's nothing to eat around here!!"  
  
"Yeah, Jou-Chan," said Sano. "Some of us have stomachs."  
  
"If you slackers would get a job once in a while we wouldn't have this problem!!" Kaoru countered. "Do you know how hard it is to support a house full of freeloaders?!"  
  
"Kaoru," said Ayame. "Auntie-Aki said to tell you she was going to some of her patients' house, and she thinks she'll get paid."  
  
Kaoru sighed. "Finally, someone who understands and helps my situation. Make that six freeloaders and one active worker."  
  
"Thank you, Isha-San," said one of Aki's patient's mother as she started to go a few hours later. "You're welcome, just remember to put those herbs in her tea every morning when she wakes up, and every night before she goes to sleep. And make sure she drinks a lot of liquids," she reminded the lady. "I have a few more errands to run. I'll come back next week to see how she's fairing."  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot," she said. "Here's your payment, Isha-San."  
  
"Domo," Aki said, adding the bag of yen to the others from earlier patients.  
  
"Again, thank you, Nightingale-San," the woman added.  
  
The two women bowed to each other as the doctor left. Aki shuddered a little. She had to get used to people calling her "Nightingale".  
  
On her way back to the dojo, she made a B-line to the Akobeko.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Aki-San," said Tae as she walked in.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Tae-San."  
  
"Can I help you with anything? Tsubame, would you mind taking care of this table?"  
  
The small girl bowed to her employer and went about her work.  
  
"Actually, this is about Sano's....what he calls his 'tab'. How much does he owe?" she asked the owner of the restaurant.  
  
"Hm...Sanosuke-San's tab, why do you want to know?"  
  
"I figured you might want it paid off."  
  
"Oh, you don't have to do that, I'm sure he'll pay us off eventually."  
  
"Think of it as a favor to a friend. Now, how much does he owe?"  
  
"Here's a copy of his tab," said Tai, handing Aki a slip of paper.  
  
"Sano likes to eat to his fill, huh?" she said, looking at the total amount. She looked at her pay for the day. She took a bag and handed it to Tae. "I think this should cover it."  
  
Tae looked at the bag and seemed to be weighing it. "Yeah, this should be plenty, thank you Aki-San." Aki smiled and headed out the door.  
  
"Since when does Sano have girls paying off his tab?" asked one of Sano's gambling friends who had apparently come in for lunch.  
  
"Oh, that's Akiyama Sagara, she was one of his friends in the Sekihottai. From what I understand, she was Captain Sagara's daughter."  
  
"He never told us anything about her."  
  
"She just came to town about two weeks ago."  
  
"Before I go," said Aki, coming back in. "Here, Tsubame-San," she said, handing the girl what seemed to be a necklace. "I saw in the market right after I left the dojo this morning and thought of you."  
  
Tsubame blushed and bowed. "Arigatou. C-could you tell Yahiko I said hi?"  
  
"No problem," Aki said with a smile. "I'll see you later, Tae-San and Tsubame-San," she said as she left again.  
  
While she was walking down the street to the Kamiya dojo, Megumi noticed one of her friends, headed in the same direction, of course.  
  
"Hello, Aki-Sama," she said, getting her attention. "On your way to see Ken- Sama?"  
  
"Him and the rest of the people I live with," she answered.  
  
"Have you been off seeing patients?" Megumi asked.  
  
Aki nodded. "You?"  
  
"Yes, the clinic is usually packed during flu season. From what those jingling bags on your hips say, I'd think all your customers were paying."  
  
"No, I don't charge servants and beggars. People with no money to spare, you know."  
  
"Auntie-Aki! Auntie-Megumi!" shouted two familiar voices.  
  
The two small girls laughed as Aki picked them up, setting one on each hip.  
  
"How's everything been here?" she asked as she walked up to the porch. "From this cheerful greeting, you'd think you haven't fed them in three days!"  
  
"That's the way Yahiko's been acting as of late too," said Misao.  
  
"Bye, everyone!" Kaoru as she dismissed her class out the door. "Welcome back, you two. How are your patients doing now?"  
  
"Kaoru!!" shouted another familiar voice.  
  
"Yes, Yahiko?" Kaoru trying to hide her anger with a smile.  
  
"There's nothing here but a bunch of dried up sushi!!"  
  
"If you can hold your stomach's growling for a few hours, I'll treat us to something at the Akobeko," Aki said.  
  
"You mean you-" Kaoru said, speechless after those three words.  
  
"Yup, tonight, we eat something other than cabinet dust."  
  
"Yeah, cabinet dust!" Suzume said with a giggle.  
  
"What about dust?" asked Kenshin, apparently coming back from housecleaning.  
  
"We get to see Tae-San and Tsubame, Uncle Kenny!!" announced Ayame.  
  
"We're going to the Akobeko?" Kenshin asked as Aki set the girls down.  
  
"Yeah, Kenshin, where have you been?" asked Sano.  
  
"And you," Aki said, glaring at him. "Owe me a very big favor."  
  
"Why...?" he asked, confused.  
  
"I paid off your tab," Aki said with the trademark Sagara smile as she went into the dojo.  
  
"Auntie-Megumi!" Ayame and Suzume shouted. "Play with us!"  
  
"I've had a long day with patients too, but it's nice to play every now and then," Megumi said, following the girls inside.  
  
"Wait, I want to play, too," said Suzuka, running in after them.  
  
"She paid off my tab at the Akobeko?" asked Sano, even more confused than when she explained.  
  
"That's what she said," said Misao. "You know, they're both doctors, maybe one of them can tell me what these headaches are," she pondered, walking in after everyone else.  
  
"She paid off my tab at the Akobeko?" Sano asked again. "Sano, I think you should go in and get some rest, you're starting to repeat yourself, that you are..." Kenshin said. "By the way Sano, how's your leg?"  
  
"She paid off my tab at the Akobeko?"  
  
"I think he's gone straight from repeating himself to shock," said Aoshi.  
  
"Yes, Sano, Aki paid off your tab at the Akobeko," said Kenshin, walking his friend in.  
  
~  
  
"Is everyone ready?" Kaoru called through the dojo.  
  
"You know I am," said Aki, walking in from the girl's room.  
  
"Are we going to the Akobeko?" asked Yahiko, running in from the kitchen.  
  
The door from the porch slid open and Sano hopped in, trying to get his other shoe on. "Yeah, I'm here."  
  
"Hello, everyone," said Dr. Gensai walking up the front steps, Ayame and Suzume trailing behind him as usual.  
  
"You say something, Kaoru?" asked Misao, walking in, standing next to Aki.  
  
"I'm ready, Kaoru-San," announced Megumi, coming out from the back porch, Suzuka and Aoshi at her side.  
  
"Kenshin!!" Kaoru called. "Where are you?!"  
  
"Oro...sorry, Kaoru-Dono, I think the bucket attacked me," Kenshin said as he stumbled out of the classroom, his foot stuck in a bucket.  
  
"Kenshin, this is no time to fooling around, we're about to go to the Akobeko," Kaoru scolded him. She eventually sighed and helped the small wanderer pry the offending mop-bucket from his foot.  
  
"Yes!!" Yahiko shouted as everyone walked down the familiar Tokyo street.. "Food!"  
  
"Kenny, is this the restaurant I came to the first day I was in Tokyo?" Suzuka asked.  
  
Kenshin nodded. "That it is, Itoko-Chan."  
  
"Oh, okay, just refreshing my memory," she explained.  
  
"Well, what do we want to eat?" Kaoru asked. Ayame, Suzume, and Yahiko shouted a few suggestions excitedly. "Um, Aki-San has the money, why not ask what she can afford?"  
  
"Didn't I tell you? I rented the Akobeko for the night. We've got the whole place to ourselves. At least until they close," Aki explained.  
  
"Exactly how many patients did you see today?" asked Megumi, rather bewildered.  
  
"Hm," Aki said in concentration. "Let's say I have the rest of the cases of the flu in Tokyo. Servants and beggars not included."  
  
"Hey, Kenshin," said Sano. "That guy walking down the street is that...Saito?"  
  
Kenshin looked in the direction Sano was looking. "I think it is."  
  
"Who's that woman with him?"  
  
"That must be Tokiyo! We finally get to meet her! Hey, and there's Eiji!" Misao exclaimed.  
  
"Who?" asked Sano.  
  
"Tokiyo is Saito's wife, that she is," Kenshin answered.  
  
"And Eiji's this kid we found while we were on our way to Kyoto," Misao clarified cheerfully. "You should meet him, Aki."  
  
"If we keep standing here we could wait for them to come to us," Aki said.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Himura," Saito said as he and his company approached. "Looks like you've added a few to your company, too. What kind of animals did you stumble upon this time?"  
  
Aki and Suzuka gave each other strange look. What was he talking about?  
  
"Now, Hajime, you should be more polite to your friends," his black-haired wife stated.  
  
"Himura doesn't mind, it's an inside joke. See, Kaoru, here, is a raccoon. Megumi is a fox. And the smaller one is a rat. I mean a weasel."  
  
"HEY! WHAT WAS THAT 'RAT' CRACK FOR?!" Misao retorted.  
  
"We'd better get to the Akobeko. Saito, was it? You three can come, too. We've got the whole night with the whole restaurant for you to explain." Aki said, noticing the time. Sano crossed his arms and started grumbling under his breath as they started out again.  
  
"I've got it," Saito said. "That one's a wolf," he added, pointing to Aki. "And that one's a panther," he finished, pointing to Suzuka. "You finally found some worthy animals of prey, Himura."  
  
"Now you're part of the family," Misao said dryly.  
  
"Or in Aki-Sama's case, part of the pack," Megumi said with a small cackle. Suzuka quietly chuckled and shook her head.  
  
"Eiji, how've you been?" Misao asked.  
  
"Yes, Eiji, how have you been fairing since the last time we saw you?" Kenshin added to the inquisition.  
  
"A lot better," he said simply.  
  
"Here we are," Aki said as they finally got to the Akobeko. "Hello, Tae- San. I hope you don't mind if I brought a few more friends than I intended."  
  
"There's no problem there, I've told everyone the restaurant's closed early, and you've already paid for tonight. I got a few friends help bring out a table. So, sit and enjoy your night."  
  
"Say, Tae," Sano said as everyone took a seat. "When you said you got a few friends to help out, did you mean--?"  
  
"Hey, Sano!" said a familiar voice, bringing in the appetizers.  
  
"What? Did Tae force you to work here, or did you willingly get a job?" Sano asked.  
  
Another one of his friends walked in and answered, "Actually, we volunteered to help Tae so we could meet this mysterious girl you never told us about."  
  
"Oh, you mean the battleaxe?" Sano decided to change introductions after a Aki delivered a hard elbow in the ribs. "I mean, Aki."  
  
"Yeah, from what Tae says, she's been in Tokyo long enough for you to at least mention her. I mean, I was just sitting there eating lunch today, and all of a sudden, this lady walks in and says she wants to pay your tab for you. What are we supposed to think? I thought you went insane and kidnapped her for her money and she was doing your bidding."  
  
"Sano? Kidnap anything? He may mooch off his friends, but he wouldn't do that."  
  
"Yeah, I thought she was sister after I heard her name for the first time."  
  
"Nope, he may have stolen my surname, but we're not blood-related in the least."  
  
"Um, right, guys, this is Aki," Sano explained.  
  
"Tae already told us that."  
  
"Yeah, we were just waiting for you to tell."  
  
"Guys, I think you should let our guests eat," Tae said, walking in, Tsubame close behind. After everyone had their fill of appetizers and dinner, the table was taken into the back and everyone sat in the middle of the restaurant-including the staff-and had their own friendly conversations.  
  
"Saito, how did you get those names for Aki and Suzuka?" Sano asked, slightly curious.  
  
"Takahashi is exceedingly quiet, but she gives off the air of something that could hurt you if you get on her bad side," the policeman explained. "And Sagara-the other-could be part of a pack, but she's also dangerous individually."  
  
"Hajime, what animal would I be?" Tokiyo asked with a sly grin. "And it better not be a rodent," she finished with a threatening death glare.  
  
"Of course you're not a rodent, dear," Saito answered, a bit on the nervous side.  
  
"Well, what kind of animal would she be, Saito?" Aki said, lifting an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, Saito, what animal would she be?" Sano added.  
  
Everyone leaned in, waiting for his answer. Tokiyo smiled and batted her eyes. For some reason, that seemed to frighten him.  
  
"You are the most noble of all creatures," he said, obviously thinking. "A deliverer of good omens, yet imposing. You are the almighty dragon."  
  
"What, might I ask is your definition of 'imposing'?" his wife asked, batting her eyes a little more. Apparently that look meant "say the right thing or you sleep in the dog house for a week, cause you ain't getting in mine, pal."  
  
"Imposingly all-knowing, my dear," Saito explained.  
  
"Oh, darling, you're so flattering!" Tokiyo said, grabbing his arm as he sighed in relief. Aki and Misao looked at each other in disbelief and immediately started laughing. "That was smooth, Saito," Aki said sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, I just remembered," Tae said. "Guys, I have some extra saké in the back I've been saving for a special event. You think this is special enough?"  
  
"Sano got his tab paid off!" one of Sano's friends said.  
  
"I'd say a miracle is worthy of extra saké any day!" the other added as they got up and headed for the back.  
  
"Why DID you pay off the tab, Aki? You didn't have to. I would have paid it off eventually," Sano said.  
  
"What? Were you going to pay it while in your coffin?" Aki asked. "Besides, now we're even again," she finished with a smile.  
  
"I'd say you're more than even!" Sano's friends said as they brought in five jugs of saké  
  
"Sano, you owe Aki a load of favors, that you do," Kenshin said with a laugh.  
  
"Oh, and no one owes me anything?!" Kaoru inquired, rearing a fist back while pulling back a sleeve.  
  
"No, Kaoru-Dono, that's not what I was saying! We owe you a lot that we do!" Kenshin defended himself with.  
  
"He's right, Kaoru-San, most everyone here owe you more than they let on," Aki added.  
  
After a while of arguing, everyone eventually came to agreements with their disputes. Except, for some reason no one could understand but them, Aki and Sano. Their fight had been about something that happened in the Sekihottai ten years ago, so everyone stayed out of it. The only thing was, they didn't show any sign of stopping. Finally, one if Sano's friends got an idea of how to stop the disagreement.  
  
"Sano, why don't you do what we do when we get into something like that?" he asked, the idea somehow just dawning on him.  
  
"You mean a drinking contest?" the other inquired.  
  
"Yeah! That's it! No one can out-drink Sano, but we've never seen him go up against a woman before, this should be interesting."  
  
"I don't know, guys, she might not be up to it," Sano said.  
  
"What's the matter Sano? Are you chicken or something?" Aki asked.  
  
"Not all of him, just his head," one of the acquaintances explained.  
  
All of a sudden, Misao burst out into laughter. "HIS HEAD DOES LOOK LIKE A CHICKEN!!"  
  
"Come on, Sano-Kun, stop acting the big brother for once," Aki said, crossing her arms. "You don't think I've never had a drink in my life, do you? I've done quite well on my own for ten years without you. Not that I don't want you around, of course."  
  
"Fine," said Sano, finally giving in. "Get two jugs."  
  
"We're drinking straight from the jugs? I may have a drink every now and then, but I also have manners."  
  
"You have a glass."  
  
"Oh, right, just a second." She looked around for a bit and then poured her water over Yahiko's head.  
  
"What was that for?!" he asked.  
  
"I heard that snicker!" Aki said.  
  
"It...was a sneeze."  
  
"Right, Yahiko," said Misao. "And I'm an eighty-four year-old man."  
  
"I don't know about everyone else, but I'm taking bets on this one," Suzuka said.  
  
"My money's on Sano," said Yahiko. "Of course I don't HAVE any."  
  
"I don't think anyone here has any money except Aki-San," Kenshin said.  
  
"Okay then, no money. Just votes. What do the rest of you think then?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"Aki-San, of course," Kaoru said with a chuckle.  
  
"I say Aki-San, that I do," Kenshin added.  
  
"The wolf," Saito and Tokiyo said in unison.  
  
"Aki-Chan, of course," Misao put in.  
  
"We haven't known Aki that long, and the baka forgot about her, so Aki, of course," one of Sano's friends.  
  
"Aki-San," said Tsubame said in a small voice. "Sorry, Yahiko-Chan, she's been nice to me lately."  
  
"Of course I would go for the one who pays," Tae said.  
  
"The doctor of course," Megumi said.  
  
"Auntie-Aki!" Ayame said excitedly.  
  
"Yeah! Auntie-Aki!" Suzume repeated.  
  
"Well, I guess you know who I'm going for," Dr. Gensai said with a slightly surprised smile at his granddaughters.  
  
"What do you say, Eiji?" Misao asked the small boy.  
  
Eiji examined the two contestants consideringly. "The girl."  
  
"What about you, Aoshi-Sama?" Misao inquired.  
  
"I'm going to go with the majority and common sense here. Aki."  
  
"What about the bookkeeper?" Sano asked Suzuka, rather annoyed at the current moment.  
  
"What do I look like? A baka? You have one vote out of sixteen! Of course I'd go with Aki," she explained. "Besides, no one wants the wrath of the battleaxe. Except maybe Yahiko."  
  
"Can I change my vote?" Yahiko asked.  
  
The boy was answered with a chorus of "No!".  
  
"Daijovu, Yahiko-Chan," said Tsubame patting him on the back.  
  
"When are you two going to start?" he asked after he noticed he was blushing furiously and everyone was watching.  
  
Aki and Sano shook their heads and started.  
  
After a while Sano started feeling woozy and started to sway. Aki didn't seem the least bit phased. No matter how phased Sano was, he kept drinking, as did Aki.  
  
"One more," was all anyone was able to decode from Sano's slurring. He said something else no one could quite catch, covered his mouth, and stumbled out of the restaurant as fast as he could. Everyone winced as they heard his stomach empty its contents into an empty barrel.  
  
"How did you keep drinking all that time without doing...that?" Misao asked, pointing outside.  
  
Aki handed her the jug of saké she had been using. Misao took a swig and started laughing.  
  
"What is it, Misao-San?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Green tea," she said, unable to stop laughing.  
  
"Aki-Sama, you're a little cheat, aren't you?" Megumi asked.  
  
"Hey, I just drank what was in front of me," Aki explained. "And the jug SAYS 'saké'. I just didn't say anything when I tasted green tea. Besides, he owed me a favor, and I needed a laugh. He won't be laughing in the morning...."  
  
"I'll say," said Misao, now in a small fit of giggles.  
  
AN: I decided to do a character poll. It works like this: Review and tell me who your favorite character is. I'll have the results soon. The choices are:  
  
Kenshin  
  
Karou  
  
Megumi  
  
Sano  
  
Aki  
  
Suzuka  
  
Misao  
  
Aoshi  
  
Yahiko  
  
Ayame & Suzume  
  
And of course any others you like. 


	6. Kimonos and Headbands

Chapter 6  
  
Kimonos and Headbands  
  
Of course Sano never did laugh the next morning, but as things usually did, all was eventually forgiven.  
  
A few days later, Saito, Tokiyo, and Eiji headed back for home, and Kaoru was giving her class lessons for the Kamiya Kashiin-ryu. Since Yahiko was showing a lot of improvement lately, she let him take a break from lessons today. Besides, he was already the top of the class. What could go wrong?  
  
Out of nowhere, the door to the classroom burst open and Yahiko ran as fast as he could through to outside, cradling a few things close to him as he did. "Yahiko?"  
  
As if to echo her confusion, Aki ran through the room right after him, covering her bare forehead with one hand. "GET BACK HERE WITH MY HEADBAND, YOU WHELP!!" "Aki-Chan?"  
  
Right after her, ran in Misao, her hair half down from its usual braid. "I SAW YOU TAKE MY HAIR TIE!! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIGHT WITH MY HAIR IN MY FACE?!" "Misao-Chan?"  
  
Adding to the train, Suzuka darted through. "YOU SNOT-NOSED LITTLE RAT!! THOSE EARRINGS WERE MY MOTHER'S!!!!" "Suzuka-Chan?"  
  
Soon after, Megumi poked her head in apologetically. "Did you see Yahiko run through here, Kaoru-Sama?" Kaoru pointed confusedly to the door leading outside. "Domo," she said happily. She immediately ran through the room bringing out a whip she had apparently been keeping behind her back. "Oh, Yahiko-Chan.!! HOW DARE YOU STEAL A LADY'S PERFUME YOU SPOILED GOOD-FOR- NOTHING BRAT?!" "And Megumi."  
  
"Class dismissed. Come back tomorrow. Maybe things will be quieter," Kaoru said to her class.  
  
"Sayonara, sensei!" her class told her before filing out of the dojo. The assistant master sat and tried to collect herself. Then noticed something missing from the back of her head. "YAHIKOOOO!!!!"  
  
~  
  
Kenshin hummed to himself as a slight breeze picked up around the dojo. He was doing the laundry as usual, but he never complained. He noticed something out the corner of his eye. What was Yahiko doing running like mad? And why was he running right toward him?  
  
"KENSHIN, RUN!!" he shouted.  
  
"Why, Yahiko?" Kenshin asked, a bit confused.  
  
"DON'T ASK QUESTIONS UNLESS YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH, JUST RUN!!" he explained as he pushed Kenshin to his feet and shoved him in front of himself.  
  
Kenshin chanced a glance behind them. There was Aki, Misao, Suzuka, Megumi, and Kaoru. Why were they chasing Yahiko? Then he noticed Yahiko had been holding a few things close to him as if he might accidentally show them to someone.  
  
"Yahiko, why are you being chased by half the dojo?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"I told you, don't ask questions!!"  
  
~  
  
Sano stood in the middle of the dojo, rather confused. Every now and then, Kenshin and Yahiko would run in and out of rooms, being chased by every female in the dojo. Excluding the smallest, of course. No one looked up from the pursuit when he tried to ask what they were up to. And of course they didn't notice when someone knocked on the door.  
  
He sighed to himself. He didn't know who it was, or what they would think when they saw the entourage, but apparently, he was the only one to answer to the door.  
  
"Hai?" he asked as he slid the door open. "Oh, hello, Shura-San. Long time, no see."  
  
"Hello, is Himura here?" Shura asked.  
  
"Was afraid you'd ask that. He's being chased at the moment."  
  
"Nani?" she asked.  
  
Sano would have answered, but Kenshin-who was still at the front of the chase-slammed into him, knocking both into the ground, Yahiko landing on top of them.  
  
"Himura, is that you?" Shura asked, pulling at Kenshin's long red ponytail.  
  
"Oro...Hello, Shura-San," Kenshin said in muffled voice with a small wave.  
  
Aki would have added to the dogpile, but she grabbed the sides of the door as the rest of the chase slammed into her. She was concentrating extremely hard as to not fall on Yahiko, Kenshin, and Sano. Then she noticed the dojo had guests.  
  
"Welcome to the Kamiya dojo?" she said as Yahiko got up and helped Kenshin up, and Sano shook his head and got up too.  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru's voice asked from the back. "We have visitors?" she apparently ripped herself from the back, which in turn made everyone else do the same. Kaoru walked up to Aki and opened the door the rest of the way. "Shura-San! Irrashaimase!"  
  
"Fork it over, munchkin!" Aki and Misao said to Yahiko, who hung his head and handed Aki her headband and Misao her hair tie. The boy tried to escape with what else he had left, but Aki grabbed his collar before he could get away.  
  
Yahiko grumbled under his breath as he handed Suzuka her earrings, Megumi her perfume, and Kaoru her ribbon and started to walk off.  
  
"Yahiko, it would be polite of you to stay and talk to our guests," Kaoru explained.  
  
"Irrashaimase," (AN: Welcome) Yahiko growled as he stomped off.  
  
Kaoru sighed and shook her head at the departing youth. "How have you been, Shura-San?" she asked, turning around.  
  
"Apparently not as active as you've been," Shura said, looking around her at all the new faces.  
  
Megumi looked at the height of the sun on the horizon and gasped. "I have an appointment at the clinic!" she exclaimed. "I'm really very sorry to leave like this, but it's very important." She handed her newly-recovered perfume to Suzuka and darted off down the street.  
  
"That was Megumi," Kaoru explained.  
  
"Himura, I need your help," Shura said before any more introductions could be given.  
  
"What's the matter, Shura-San?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"First off, do happen to know any doctors?" she asked with a worried look.  
  
"Aki's a doctor," Sano explained, indicating his friend, who was busy putting on her headband.  
  
"What do you need a doctor for, Shura-San?" Aki asked, finally getting the headband on straight.  
  
"It's my friend," she said sadly. "He's very old and very sick."  
  
"What's his name?" Aki asked. Upon receiving a confused look, she elaborated. "It's nice to stay on a personal level with patients."  
  
"His name is Iwa," Shura replied. "You should remember, don't you, Himura?"  
  
"I remember him, Shura-San, that I do."  
  
"Where is he, Shura-San?" Aki asked.  
  
"Sarujiro is waiting with him in town. I told them I knew someone who lived here and that I'd be back later with help. I need some help to get him here, though."  
  
"I'll help," Sano volunteered. "I remember the old man, too. I'd be glad to help."  
  
"I'll set up a room while you're gone," Kaoru said  
  
"Before I go, what's your name?" Shura asked Aki.  
  
"Aki," she answered, a bit confused.  
  
"No, your full name."  
  
"Oh, Akiyama Sagara."  
  
Shura looked from Aki to Sano. "You're right, I'll just call you Aki."  
  
*  
  
After a while, Aki and Kaoru had gotten the room set up, and Iwa was finally brought in.  
  
"What do think is wrong, Aki?" Shura asked.  
  
Aki checked for fever and listened to his pulse. "Are there any other symptoms?"  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
"He'll be fine then, all he has to do is get some water and some rest, nothing to worry about."  
  
Shura sighed in relief. "Thank you!"  
  
*  
  
Aki and Kaoru made sure Iwa got water and let him sleep after his long journey.  
  
"Are you sure he'll be alright?" Kaoru asked Aki.  
  
"Quite sure," Aki said with a smile  
  
The two girls looked up to a knock on the door and Kenshin let himself in. "Dinner's ready, Kaoru-Dono. Is Iwa-San going to be alright?"  
  
"With a few hours' rest, he'll be fine," Aki answered.  
  
"Who made dinner?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"We had a team of cooks tonight, that we did," Kenshin explained with a chuckle.  
  
Kaoru and Aki shrugged as they got up and followed Kenshin into the kitchen.  
  
However, all through dinner, Misao and Megumi had an argument. There was nothing but growls and mutters back and forth, fox, weasel, fox, weasel, fox, weasel...  
  
"Yame!!" (AN: stop!!) Kaoru yelled, surprised to realize she had accidentally yelled in front of company. "Misao, Megumi, maybe you two would like to do something to get along better with each other. Maybe show Shura-San and Sarujiro-San around while Iwa-San rests?"  
  
"Oh, Yeah," Aki added. "There's a festival all week this week! I'd be glad to go along."  
  
"No, Aki-Chan, this is for Misao and Megumi to do alone."  
  
After Megumi and Misao glared at Kaoru for a while they turned their glares to each other and sneered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A few hours later, Iwa-San was still sleeping, Misao and Megumi had taken Sarujiro and Shura for a tour and a night at the festival, Yahiko was sitting in the middle of the dojo with nothing to do, and everyone else was who knew where. The small boy suddenly heard fireworks so he decided to go to the front of the dojo to watch. He went to the front door, but stopped before he opened it, because he could see a set of silhouettes, and if his guess was right, they were Kaoru and Kenshin. Well, it gave him something to do.  
  
He figured they couldn't tell if he just cracked the door open...  
  
He thought it was going to be interesting, but all they were doing, was sitting there looking at the stars and fireworks. He shrugged, shut the door, and went back to being bored.  
  
"Kenshin, a shooting star!" Kaoru shouted taking hold of Kenshin's arm and pointing to a white streak across the sky. "Make a wish."  
  
"But, Kaoru-Dono, what would I wish for? I already have everything I'd ever want," Kenshin answered with a smile and an arm around her shoulder.  
  
She put her head on his shoulder. "Me too."  
  
On the other side of the dojo, Suzuka and Aoshi were watching the same sets of fireworks and Aoshi spotted the same shooting star.  
  
"You know, some people say you should wish on shooting stars, but it's completely pointless," he concluded with a nod.  
  
"Exactly, you should work to accomplish your dreams, not wish on some streak in the sky," Suzuka agreed as she rested her head on Aoshi's shoulder.  
  
He gave her a strange look. "What's this for?"  
  
The redhead looked up and smiled. "Nothing."  
  
He looked away pretending not to notice, but Suzuka felt something slip behind her ear.  
  
She took it in her hand and looked confusedly at an origami rose. "What's this for?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"So, Jou-Chan saw a shooting star," Sano said, sitting next to Aki just around the corner from Kenshin and Kaoru. "Girl's got a voice on her."  
  
"Well, you gonna make a wish or comment on Kaoru-San's powerful lungs?" Aki asked.  
  
"Eh, I don't usually wish on shooting stars. Do you?"  
  
"I did ten years ago."  
  
"What was your wish?"  
  
Aki gave her friend an incredulous look. "Look in a mirror."  
  
"You too, huh?" Sano asked.  
  
"It came true, didn't it? Even if it was ten years late."  
  
"Yeah. Speaking of ten years ago, back when Shindo killed the Sekihottai and put their heads on display, I could've sworn I saw you there, but you took one look at me and ran off. I tried calling after you, but you kept running."  
  
"I try not to think about that day," Aki admitted. "You've got to understand, I thought you were dead. I thought it was a ghost or something. Besides, that was the first time I had been in a really public place since...you know. It wasn't until I came here a few weeks ago I even knew you were alive."  
  
"I ...I..."  
  
"You what?" she asked.  
  
Sano sat there and scratched his head, looking as though he were lost for words.  
  
"What's the matter?" Aki blinked in amazement. "Are you blushing?!" She sighed and shook her head. "You might as well tell me, now I'm curious."  
  
Instead of saying anything, her lifelong friend leaned over and gave her a kiss. She was a little surprised at first, but she kissed back.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"That's it!!" Yahiko screamed, slamming the door open. "I can't take it any more!!"  
  
"What is it, Yahiko?" Kenshin asked a little confused.  
  
"I'm going to the Akobeko!!"  
  
"Why are you going to the Akobeko?" Kaoru asked. "No one's there, what with the festival this week."  
  
"What walked over his grave?" Aki asked, coming around the corner.  
  
"Yeah, Yahiko-Chan, you were louder than Jou-Chan."  
  
Yahiko growled a little bit, jumped on Sano's head and began gnawing at his hair.  
  
"I always thought he was a rabid little monkey," Aki commented.  
  
"Well, I'm bored out of my mind and it's all your fault!" he shouted, jumping down from Sano's head pointed dramatically at Kaoru.  
  
"What do you mean, Yahiko?" Kaoru asked innocently.  
  
"You said I couldn't go to the festival."  
  
"No I didn't, I just said you couldn't go with Megumi and Misao."  
  
"What's wrong?!" Suzuka asked rushing in.  
  
"We heard someone scream, who's hurt?!" Aoshi asked, coming up behind her.  
  
"No one's hurt. Yahiko was just telling us that he was going to the festival, that he was," Kenshin explained.  
  
"Suzuka-Chan, what's in your hair?" Kaoru asked.  
  
Suzuka and Aoshi shot each other a glance. "Nothing," they said walking into the dojo.  
  
"Why are you going into the festival, Yahiko-Chan?" Aki asked.  
  
The ten year-old mumbled something under his breath.  
  
"Nani?" Aki asked.  
  
"Yeah, twerp, we could couldn't hear," Sano added.  
  
"I'm going to find Tsubame!" Yahiko spat, turned and walked off into town.  
  
"How come you're the only one he doesn't blow up on when you call him Chan?" Sano asked.  
  
"I don't know," Aki said, sitting next to Kaoru.  
  
Her friend shook his head, shrugged, and sat next to her.  
  
"So, Kaoru-San, how've the fireworks been?" Aki asked.  
  
"Haven't you seen them? You were only behind the corner, weren't you?"  
  
"Oh, yes, we've have a perfect view of the thick forestry surrounding the dojo. You might be able to see something if you squint and cross your eyes," she explained with a chuckle.  
  
"Hey, how have the fireworks been going?" Shura asked, walking up with Sarujiro, Misao and Megumi nowhere in sight.  
  
"Where are Misao and Megumi?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"We don't know, they started arguing, so we decided to come back and see if anyone else wanted to come," Shura explained with a shrug and Sarujiro with a nod.  
  
"I'm up for it," Kaoru said. "What about you Kenshin?"  
  
"Of course, Kaoru-Dono," Kenshin said with a smile.  
  
"We might as well come too," Sano added. Aki shrugged.  
  
Kaoru's face suddenly lit up with delight. "I have some kimonos that might fit you, Aki-Chan!"  
  
"I've ne-" Aki started but Kaoru interrupted her.  
  
"Oh, come on! It'll be fun!" she explained, taking her arm and took her into the dojo.  
  
"Oro...that was a little fast," Kenshin observed.  
  
"And a little high-pitched," Sano added.  
  
Shura started to snicker, but Kaoru, now holding Aki's hair in her hand. "Kaoru-San...that hurts," Aki groaned, tumbling backwards off the porch and nearly fell, but caught herself. Kaoru took a hold Shura's hand and smiled. "This'll be fun."  
  
She took her two captives down the corridors of the dojo until she saw Suzuka.  
  
"Oh Suzuka-Chan! You can come too!"  
  
Kenshin's cousin shrugged and latched onto the train. "What are we doing?" she asked after a while.  
  
Aki moved her head to show that Kaoru was holding onto her long tail of black hair, and was forced to walk backwards. "Kaoru-San's going to lend us kimonos."  
  
"For the festival," Shura added.  
  
Suzuka nodded and started to walk away, but Shura and Aki grabbed the same arm.  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Shura said.  
  
"If we suffer, you suffer with us," Aki added.  
  
"Hi, everybody!" Misao said with a smile walking in with Megumi trailing after her.  
  
Kaoru looked behind her. "Misao-Chan! Come here for a little bit!"  
  
"What are we doing?" Misao asked.  
  
Aki let go of Suzuka frantically gestured for her not to come and picked up Kaoru's kimono sleeve when she didn't notice and pointed.  
  
Misao nodded and walked over, handed her braid to Kaoru in the same hand she had Aki's hair. "I'm only going to do this to be a good friend and kicking and screaming."  
  
"You too?" Aki asked.  
  
Kaoru shrugged and kept walking.  
  
"Megumi-Chan, you don't have to come, you're wearing a kimono already," Suzuka explained.  
  
Megumi shrugged. "Most of you are taller than Kaoru, ergo, most of you are going to need longer kimonos."  
  
"Dang!" Aki said under her breath. "There goes that plan."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Suzuka-Chan?!" Kaoru called through a door. "Are you ready?"  
  
Suzuka grumbled, but came out wearing a kimono about the color of Kenshin's embroidered with white lilies.  
  
"Wow, you took after Kenshin's side, didn't you?"  
  
"Is that an insult or a compliment?"  
  
"I would hope it's a compliment, Itoko-Chan, that I do," Kenshin said with Aoshi, Sano, and Sarujiro walking up behind him.  
  
"I'm ready, Kamiya-San," Shura said, walking out a light blue kimono. After seeing Kenshin and everyone behind him her eyes popped in surprise in reflection to Kaoru's, Suzuka's, and Megumi's.  
  
"Kenshin, how did you get Sano, and Aoshi into kimonos?!" Kaoru asked.  
  
"I simply said that Aki and Suzuka had to wear them too, so it would only be right, that I did."  
  
"What about Sarujiro?" Shura asked with a laugh.  
  
"He got the picture, that he did." Sarujiro nodded in agreement.  
  
"I'm done," Misao said, coming out in a green kimono. After seeing who was behind Kenshin, she immediately burst into laughter.  
  
"Aki-Chan!!" Kaoru hollered through another door. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Ano...Kaoru-San, I do have a kimono of my own," Aki's voice. "Megumi's kimono stops halfway down from my knees to my ankles. Just look through my things, you'll find it."  
  
Kaoru shrugged, went into the girls' room and slid the door open a crack. Aki's hand came out and took the kimono. "Domo."  
  
Five minutes later, Aki came out in a dark kimono embroidered with a red and gold dragon spiraling down it and Megumi's spare pink kimono in one arm.  
  
"Sorry it didn't fit, Megumi-San," she apologized handing it back to Megumi.  
  
"You never told me you had a kimono, Aki," Sano said, taking her arm and following everyone down the hall.  
  
"Look who's talking," Aki said, then shrugged. "My mother gave it to me when I turned about....five so I could grow into it."  
  
"Aki-Chan, do you think you should keep the headband with the kimono?" Kaoru asked, taking Kenshin's arm.  
  
"Kaoru-San, I would get into a kimono for no one else but you, but no one touches the headband."  
  
The assistant master of the Kamiya-Kashiin-ryu shrugged. "Suzuka, that rose goes well with your kimono.  
  
"Domo, Kaoru-Chan," Suzuka said as Aoshi took her arm. 


	7. Flowers, Death, and Cake

Chapter 7  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Flowers, Death, and Cake  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
(AN: thanks for reviewing everybody. So far the character poles stand thus including Vera-Chan's and Luna-Sama's:  
  
Aki: 3  
  
Sano: 2  
  
Kenshin: 1  
  
Suzuka: 1  
  
Aoshi: 1  
  
Everyone else: nada ^^;;  
  
KEEP SENDING VOTES!!!! You may be cheating your fav character out of recognition! ^O^ did I mention you're allowed to vote for two characters? I've only had five people vote so far and three out of them voted for two characters in one vote, so feel free:))  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning, Shura, Sarujiro, and Iwa headed back home, Tokyo began to clean up after the festivities, and Sano sat on the porch, bored.  
  
After the previous night, everything had dulled down. A lot. Too much. Apparently, it was affecting everyone else too, because Aki walked out of the dojo with the same bored expression he was pretty sure he had. She sat next to him, put her head on his knee, and started naming off things on each finger.  
  
"Kaoru-San's teaching a lesson. Misao-Chan's asleep. Kenshin-San's doing the laundry. Who knows where Suzuka-San and Aoshi-San are? Megumi-San's at the clinic and probably as bored as I am because flu season's just about over and I'm done with all my agenda for the day. I'm very bored. So how's your day been?"  
  
"About the same," he said scratching his head. "I've got an idea, though."  
  
"Eh?" she asked, looking up, slightly confused. "What's that look on your face for, baka?"  
  
"What do you think, battleaxe?" he asked as he started a tickle fest for lack of anything better to do which ended up with both of them laughing and out of breath. "Not so bored anymore, are ya?"  
  
"Hah, hah, Sano, my friend, you are pure evil..."  
  
"So..."  
  
"Yeah, so...."  
  
"When are we gonna spring it on everyone?"  
  
"Uh...when everyone's in one spot?"  
  
"Eh, makes sense."  
  
Their conversation was cut short with cold, malicious laughter coming from the dojo gates.  
  
"Well if it ain't Rooster-Head?!"  
  
"What do you want, Broom-Head?!"  
  
"To settle our score, what else?"  
  
"I don't have anything to do with you," Sano explained. "Aki, get out of here, I've got a bad feeling about this," he added under his breath.  
  
Aki glanced from him to the blonde man and got the general idea, and stepped into the dojo.  
  
"Hah! You want it that way, Sagara? I can make you hate me..." he sneered, doffing his coat and taking out his flimsy sword (AN: you know, that long, metal slap-bracelet he calls a sword.) With one motion, the blade flew into the dojo through the screen before Sano could stop it. He heard a scream, but it wasn't Aki, and oddly enough, the blade burst into innumerable shards, leaving Cho with just his hilt.  
  
Aki opened the door, she had a scratch under her arm where she had caught the blade, but other than that, she was just fine. Behind her, Kaoru had her hands over her mouth in shock, but was unscathed. "Sano," Aki said. "Kick his butt." She turned around, putting her sword back in its scabbard and her scythe back on its belt. She gave Sano one more look of encouragement before closing the door.  
  
"Come on, Kaoru-San, you've got a class to teach," Aki reminded her friend as she walked her through the dojo.  
  
"B-but, Kenshin came and told me that Cho was here and what he had done before , so I sent them home early through the back of the dojo," she explained.  
  
"Let's get everyone else in a safe spot and I'll personally make sure he doesn't hurt anyone," she reassured her.  
  
"What's happen-?" Misao started but stopped in mid-word. "That's Cho's voice!"  
  
"He and Sano are trying to settle a score or something. We've got to get everyone in one spot, just in case...something comes through the door."  
  
Seeing the look on Cho's face, Sano leaned his zan-batou back where it was. Maybe it was Kenshin rubbing off on him, but it didn't seem fair to face him with a zan-batou when he only had his two other swords and a broken sword hilt.  
  
"Okay, Broom-Head," he said, hanging his coat on his zan-batou. "Now it's personal."  
  
"No weapons?!" Cho shouted. "Hah! Have it your way, Rooster-Head!!"  
  
The two fighters had the initial staring match, but didn't seem to able to decide which one should attack first.  
  
"You gonna attack or just stand there?" Cho asked.  
  
"Have it your way," Sano said as he rushed forward, fist ready to strike.  
  
"Where's Yahiko?" Aki asked as she, Misao, and Kaoru ran through the dojo looking for anyone to round up.  
  
"Where's Kenshin? Suzuka and Aoshi escorted my class into town," Kaoru explained  
  
"You two keep looking, I've got a bad feeling about the battle," Aki said, starting to turn around, but Misao grabbed her arm.  
  
"I'm coming with you!"  
  
"Don't worry, Aki-Chan, I'll find everyone else by myself, I grew up here, after all," Kaoru said with a smile, heading off down the way they were going.  
  
Aki and Misao got to the door to try to guard it, but right then got there, all the screened doors exploded as a nearly unconscious Cho was thrown through them.  
  
Sano, who had a lot less damage, threw Cho his coat and swords.  
  
"Now, get out of here before *~I~* knock the rest of your brains out!!" Misao shouted.  
  
Aki just cracked her knuckled and gave him a cold stare. To add to his convincing, Kenshin came around the corner. "Oh, hello, Cho, long time, no see, that it is."  
  
"Hello, Battousai..." Cho started. "I was just leaving." And with that, Cho left the Kamiya dojo.  
  
"Come on, Sano-Kun," Aki said, walking over to her beat-up friend. He had taken a lot less than Cho had, but he was still trying hard to stand up. She put one arm around him and let him put an arm around her shoulder as she lead him to the dojo. "Let's get you something to eat...and a new door."  
  
"Hey! Go Sano!" Misao cheered as they walked.  
  
"Kaoru-San," Aki started after Sano's scratches and bruises were taken care of, Suzuka and Aoshi were working on rebuilding the dojo's doors, and Aki was taking care of her own scratch. "You think we could have Megumi-San, Gensai-San, Ayame-Chan, and Suzume-Chan over for dinner tonight?"  
  
"What for, Aki-Chan?" she asked, a little startled. "To celebrate?"  
  
"Yeah, but not for Sano beating what's-his-face though, something more important than that."  
  
"What is it? A hint maybe?"  
  
"Oh no, Kaoru-San, you'll have to wait with everyone else."  
  
"Wait for what?" Misao asked, walking in.  
  
"Aki-Chan says she wants to celebrate something...an announcement she said. But she's not telling me," Kaoru explained, hoping the extra person would help with her plea.  
  
"Aki-Chan, you can whisper in my ear and I promise I won't tell," Misao suggested.  
  
Aki shook her head. "I'm going to wait for everyone else to get here, and after we've had dinner, then I'll tell."  
  
"But, Aki-Chan," Kaoru started.  
  
"You can tell your two best friends, right?" Misao finished.  
  
"Fine, fine! I'll give you a hint, but that's all you get." Kaoru and Misao leaned in, ready to hear. "Flowers."  
  
"What about them?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"That was your hint."  
  
"Are you...starting a garden?" Misao asked.  
  
"No fair guessing, and no."  
  
"Ah, Aki-Chan!" Kaoru and Misao said simultaneously.  
  
"As soon as everybody else gets here and dinner's done, I can tell you, we had lunch about what, an hour ago?"  
  
"Hoé...." Suzuka said, walking in, wiping her forehead. "Aoshi and I are done with the frames, and he said he'd do the screens for me. He's so sweet," she finished with a smile.  
  
"Suzuka-Chan!" Kaoru said cheerfully. "Why don't we get Megumi, Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume for dinner?"  
  
"Eh? Naze?" she asked a little confused. Her raven-haired friend whispered an explanation in her ear. "Oh, okay, let's get going then." And with that, she and Kaoru went out the door.  
  
"You don't want me to get Saito, do you?" Misao asked.  
  
"No, no!" Aki said with a laugh. "We could go to the Akobeko and invite Tsubame-San, Tae-San, and Sano's gambling buddies, though."  
  
"Okay! The faster we learn this, the sooner everyone will be out of suspense!" Misao concluded, dragging her friend to her feet.  
  
Kenshin, Sano, and Aoshi gave Misao an odd look as she dragged Aki out the front door with just enough time for Aki to grab her kasa.  
  
"What was that about?" Aoshi asked.  
  
Sano sat in thought for a minute, but finally got the idea. "An announcement."  
  
"An announcement about what, Sano?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Can't tell you till after dinner."  
  
"A hint would be appreciated, that it would."  
  
"Keiki."  
  
"Death?!"  
  
"No, cake!" (AN: Yay!! Foreign word play!! XD)  
  
"Are you having a birthday?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"No, that's in February."  
  
"Something to do with cake...." Aoshi pondered.  
  
"I should get the dining room ready for guests, that I should," Kenshin said, getting up and leaving.  
  
"I should finish the screens before the guests come," Aoshi, getting up, headed for the front door.  
  
"And I...should get some sleep before they come," Sano finished, lounging back.  
  
"What is for, Suzuka-Chan?" Megumi asked after Suzuka and Kaoru had invited her to the Kamiya dojo.  
  
"Aki-Chan wouldn't tell us exactly, and she only gave a vague hint," Kaoru explained.  
  
"What was the hint?"  
  
"Flowers."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"She wouldn't tell, she just said it was an announcement and it had to do with flowers."  
  
"Ah, great, it's a riddle, just what I need after a long day."  
  
"A long day of what, Megumi-Chan?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"Auntie Suzuka!!" Ayame and Suzume greeted from behind. "Kaoru-Chan!!"  
  
"Ayame-Chan, Suzume-Chan!!"  
  
"Can we, Tae-San?" Tsubame asked. after receiving her invitation to the Kamiya dojo.  
  
"I suppose we could tell everyone to go home about dinnertime," Tae pondered. "Would it be any trouble for you two to go home early?" she added to Sano's friends.  
  
They just looked at Tae, back at each other, and shrugged.  
  
"No, you're invited too!" Aki said.  
  
"What do you want us over for?" Tae asked.  
  
"Aki-Chan said it was an announcement," Misao explained.  
  
"An announcement about what, Aki?" one of Sano's friends asked.  
  
"Yeah, we're sort of stumped here," the other said.  
  
"I can't tell until-"  
  
"After dinner," Misao finished for her.  
  
"We don't get a hint?" Tsubame asked.  
  
"Flowers," she and Misao said at the same time.  
  
"An announcement about flowers?" Tae asked.  
  
"After dinner," Aki restated.  
  
~~~  
  
"Aki-Chan..." Misao started.  
  
"It's after dinner...." Kaoru added.  
  
"What's the proclamation?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"It's been a few hours and all you've given us is flowers," Suzuka reminded her.  
  
"Flowers?" Aoshi asked. "All we've gotten is keiki."  
  
"Who died??" Misao asked.  
  
"It was cake, that it was, Misao-San," Kenshin clarified.  
  
"I think I might know what it is, but I wanna know just for sure," Sano's friend  
  
"Yeah, I've got an idea, but if I'm wrong I'd be embarrassing the heck out of Sano," the other added.  
  
"The secret ingredients in her saké?" Yahiko guessed.  
  
"I don't think that's it, Yahiko-Chan," Tsubame said.  
  
"I don't know, but it's got something to do with food," Doctor Gensai supposed.  
  
"And pretty flowers!" Ayame exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, flowers!" Suzume added.  
  
"Celebrating paying off Sanosuke-San's tab?" Tae asked.  
  
"No, that was while ago," Misao concluded and shook her head. "Aki-Chan, what is it, already?!"  
  
Instead of Aki answering, Sano answered. "We're getting married."  
  
Kaoru reached over on one side, and Misao on the other, making something resembled a sandwich, Aki in the middle.  
  
"Congratulations, Aki-Chan!!" Kaoru chimed.  
  
"I'm so happy for you!!"  
  
"Congratulations, Sano," Kenshin said.  
  
Somehow over a fifteen-second pause, Suzuka, Ayame, Suzume, and Megumi had added to the dogpile on Aki. Tae and Tsubame just sat to one side and giggled.  
  
"Go, Sano!" one of his friends shouted.  
  
"Yeah, you got a whole clump of 'em!"  
  
"Minna-San..." Aki's voice said. "I'm glad you're happy for me and everything....however, I need air to breathe...."  
  
It took a bit, but everyone got the idea went back to their seats.  
  
"So, when is it?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Who's gonna be the maid of honor?" Misao added.  
  
"Or the best man?"  
  
"Where's it gonna be?"  
  
"Ah, come on," Aki said. "Give us a while to think about it, he proposed last night!"  
  
"Oh, during the festival?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"How cute!" Misao added.  
  
"Who's invited?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"See, this is what planning is for, we haven't done any of that yet," Aki explained.  
  
"This has been fun and all, but it's getting late," Sano's friend piped up.  
  
"Yeah, gotta go."  
  
"Well, if you're going, we have to go see that nothing gets moved out of place," Tae said, taking Tsubame with her, following Sano's friends out the door.  
  
"And we have to get back to the clinic," Megumi said, walking out with Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume.  
  
"And WE," Kaoru said. "Are going to leave you two alone." And with that she herded out everyone, leaving just Aki and Sano.  
  
"Sano," Aki started. "Misao and Aoshi are going to invite the Oniwabanshu. Kaoru-San's going to invite her class and their families. Megumi's going to invite her patients, and insist that I invite mine. Kenshin's most likely going to insist on inviting Saito and Yutaro. We're going to have half of Japan at our wedding!"  
  
"We'll figure something out...eventually." 


	8. Let's Do Some Math

Chapter 8  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Let's do Some Math  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
(AN: YAY! Somebody voted on the pole!! Now the pole stands as thus um, I also added my own, but, it's nothing partial or anything:  
  
Aki: 3  
  
Sano: 3  
  
Kenshin: 2  
  
Kaoru: 1  
  
Suzuka: 1  
  
Aoshi: 1  
  
Misao: 1  
  
Don't worry about the title, it's math like 1+2=3 math not evil Algebra equations. By the way, the question about Misao and Aoshi. I'm taking it that's a question as to why they're not together in this fic? Anywho. I would like to do that, but Suzuka is Luna-Sama's character, and she'd kill me if I didn't put her with Aoshi. Since I'm completely and utterly bored...I take character sketch requests! Just email or review me.)  
  
(AN P. S.: also, I'm dedicating this chapter to Rurouni Kaoru. I love it when reviewers review a chapter at a time ^_^ hope you like)  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
A few weeks later, everyone had gone to bed for the night, and Aki decided she was just going to sleep on the porch. Autumn was just beginning so she figured she might as well get some fresh air before her hair changed color again. Suddenly all coherent thought turned to mush as she started to nod off...  
  
She vaguely noticed someone coming up behind her and sit next to her. Was it morning already?  
  
"Aki?" she heard a familiar voice ask in a whisper. "Aki-Chan..." the person said, slightly shaking her shoulder.  
  
"Eh?" she finally answered, rubbing her slightly throbbing head. Why did the first day of Autumn have to be today? "What is it, Sano?"  
  
"Get your kimono and a Maid of Honor."  
  
"Wait," she said, trying to collect her thoughts. "Today's the first day of Fall and I might not have heard you correctly. Run that by me again."  
  
"I've got everything ready and set up for tonight. All you have to do is get your kimono and pick a maid of honor."  
  
"Put it in simpler terms please."  
  
"We're eloping tonight."  
  
"That's your brilliant solution?"  
  
"Well, you're right, if we invite everyone from here, they'd invite all their connections. So, I got to thinking and arranged everything to happen for tonight. I'll get my stuff ready, Katsu should be here in a few."  
  
"Fine," she said. "Just one more thing."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Help me up..."  
  
Aki looked around the girls' room with her kimono in her arms. Which one? Suzuka-San was a great friend, but then again, so was Kaoru-San, Misao-Chan, and Megumi-San. Megumi was at the clinic, though. That scratched her off. Kaoru-san would probably wake everyone up and insist that they all go to the ceremony. That somewhat scratched her off, although she felt a little guilty. That wouldn't work. Suzuka-San would probably freak out before going. That would wake everyone up. That left her with one choice.  
  
"Misao-Chan," she whispered, shaking Misao awake.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
Aki explained the situation as best she could, considering how late it was and how tired they both were, but Misao didn't seem to be phased.  
  
"You mean...you want me to be your maid of honor?" she asked with an excited smile.  
  
"Course," Aki said with another smile.  
  
Misao jumped up as quietly as she could and silently darted to her things and got out her kimono. "Okay, let's go!"  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"Bye, Katsu-Kun," Aki said, waving over Sano's shoulder after the ceremony as Sano carried her over the threshold.  
  
"Bye," Katsu said as he walked off. "Good luck, you two. Visit me when you get the chance."  
  
Misao cracked the door open and peeked inside and hastily closed it back. "Kaoru's up...and she looks mad."  
  
"Sano, I suppose you might as well put me down so we can get this over with."  
  
"But I haven't carried you through the door yet," he said with a smile.  
  
"You just want us to get thrown out, don't you?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't care. As long as you're still here."  
  
"Where were you?!" Kaoru shouted as Misao opened the door and let the newly-married couple through. "I had the whole dojo up and looking for you!"  
  
"We-" Aki started as Sano set her down.  
  
"No, I wanna tell her," Misao said running over to Kaoru and whispering in her ear.  
  
Kaoru's eyes widened in disbelief and suddenly grew larger and much more watery. "And you didn't invite me...?"  
  
"Didn't invite you to what?" Suzuka asked, next to Kaoru.  
  
Kaoru pointed to Aki and Sano while at the same time slowly turning her head to Suzuka. "They eloped..." she almost whimpered.  
  
"And they didn't invite us? Hoé...oh well, congratulations."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin asked, walking in. "They eloped?"  
  
"Well," Sano said as Aoshi and Yahiko walked in. "You gonna stand there or get us an extra room?"  
  
"GROSS!" Yahiko shouted. "They got married?! Who would wanna marry HIM?!"  
  
"That reminds me," Aoshi said thoughtfully.  
  
"We got engaged, too!" Suzuka added.  
  
Kaoru crossed her arms. "Well, don't expect me to treat you as nicely as I have been! I only have room left here, you'll have to move out!"  
  
Aki and Sano exchanged glances and shrugged, got their stuff, and started to walk out the door.  
  
"Wait!" Kaoru shouted, throwing her arms around Aki. "Don't leave...I'll get Kenshin, Aoshi, and Yahiko to fix the room up for you! I really am happy for you..." she pleaded with a semi-guilty smile  
  
"Suzuka-San, I'm so happy for you and Aoshi!" Aki said walking over to Kenshin's cousin.  
  
"Aki-Chan..." Kaoru said, looking as if she was about to cry.  
  
"Oh, don't worry Kaoru-San, I was just congratulating Suzuka on her and Aoshi's engagement."  
  
Sano rolled his eyes and walked over.  
  
"We have to get the room together, don't we?" Yahiko asked with a yawn.  
  
"Maybe you should go to sleep Yahiko, Aoshi and I can get the room fixed up, that we can," Kenshin said, gently pushing Yahiko down the hall.  
  
After the small boy went to bed, Kenshin and Aoshi got to work on the room.  
  
"We have to start planning!" Kaoru said happily.  
  
"Yeah, this is gonna be fun!" Misao added.  
  
"Personal opinions being stated here..." Aki said. "I think Megumi- San should be your maid of honor."  
  
"Yeah!" Misao agreed. "You two hang out all the time, she'd be perfect for the job."  
  
"Oh, I've got to invite my students!" Kaoru said, clasping her hands together.  
  
"Yeah, and I'll invite the Oniwabanshu in Kyoto. This IS Aoshi- Sama's wedding after all," Misao concluded, holding up a finger.  
  
"You have to invite your patients, Aki-Chan, and Megumi will have to invite hers since she's going to be the maid of honor," Kaoru continued.  
  
"Yutaro, Gensai, Dr. Gensai..."  
  
"Ayame, Suzume..."  
  
"Wouldn't they come together, though?"  
  
"You're right. Well, Tsubame, Tae..."  
  
"Hoé..."  
  
While Kaoru and Misao were naming off names, Kenshin and Aoshi walked back in. "We're done with the room, that we are."  
  
"Well, Aki," Sano said, slipping an arm around her waist. "Should we retire?" he asked with a sly grin.  
  
Before he could get his question out, Aki had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He shrugged. "Or we could just sleep."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
A few months later, Autumn had set in and so had Aki's hair color, thankfully. She walked outside green tea in hand. She smiled at the dojo's changing colors all around her.  
  
Suddenly, she saw something that surprised her so much so dropped her tea. "Kaa-San? Tou-San?"  
  
She stood there in shocked silence. Her parents died ten years ago! But there they were, standing in front of the dojo's porch. She calmed down and finally concluded they were ghosts.  
  
Usually from what she had heard of ghosts they had something to say, but they stood there smiling. All of a sudden, she saw a foggy figure slowly materialize in her father's arms. She couldn't believe what she saw when it had finally formed all the way. It was her ten years ago.  
  
Her parents didn't say anything, but she finally got the message as they faded away.  
  
Five minutes afterward, Sano had woken up to see that Aki wasn't there, so he figured she had gone outside as she usually did when she got up before him. He walked outside and was surprised to her lying on the ground. Maybe she was sick or something.  
  
He shrugged.  
  
Well, if she was sick she needed to get to bed at least.  
  
He scooped her up and headed into the dojo. He turned his head because he could've sworn he had seen something out of the corner of his eye. Nothing was there. He shrugged again and went on his way.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"What's wrong with Aki-Chan?" Misao asked during breakfast. "It couldn't be her hair color changing, that happened a while ago."  
  
"I know, she usually fixes breakfast with Suzuka-Chan, but she didn't even do that," Kaoru added.  
  
"Yeah, Kenshin had to cook breakfast because Suzuka spent the night at the clinic helping out Megumi."  
  
"This morning I went outside and she was asleep on the ground," Sano explained. "I figured she must have been sick or something so I took her inside. When she woke up the only thing she could say was to postpone her appointments for today."  
  
"Well," Kaoru said, hands on hips. "Did you postpone them?"  
  
"Yeah..." he as if she should already know. "What kind of a husband do you think I am, Jou-Chan?"  
  
"Maybe we should check on her," Kaoru said, slightly worried.  
  
"After breakfast, though," said Misao.  
  
"Okay."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
After breakfast, Kaoru, Misao, and Sano went to see what was wrong with Aki.  
  
"Maybe she's having feminine problems..." Kaoru suggested.  
  
"Maybe she just needs rest?" Misao said with a shrug.  
  
Sano quirked a confused eyebrow as he watched the argument like a gentleman's duel or something.  
  
"I say it's feminine problems."  
  
"I still say she needs rest!"  
  
"Feminine problems!"  
  
"Rest!"  
  
"Feminine problems!!"  
  
"Rest!!"  
  
Aki finally slowly sat up, with a very glazed look.  
  
"Aki-Chan!" Misao said. "Maybe you could clear this up for us!"  
  
"You're having feminine problems, aren't you?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"No, you just need some rest, right?" Misao added.  
  
"You're both right and you're both wrong," Aki answered.  
  
"Huh?" Sano asked, more confused than ever.  
  
"I am having feminine problems and I do need rest, but it's not what you think."  
  
Kaoru and Misao got the idea and both hugged Aki.  
  
"Congratulations!" Misao shouted.  
  
"I'm so happy for you!" Kaoru continued.  
  
"I don't get it," Sano said, scratching his head.  
  
"Alright, Sano, let's do some math," Aki said.  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"How many Sagaras do you know?"  
  
"Four."  
  
"Let's try that again. How many LIVING Sagaras do you know?"  
  
"Just you and me. Two."  
  
"There's about to be three."  
  
Sano's eyes bulged nearly out of his head as his fell over backwards.  
  
"I guess we'll spread the news when we both wake up," Aki said, going back to sleep herself.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"Kenshin, Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, noticing the small samurai walking through the dojo. "I've just heard the most wonderful news!"  
  
"Before you tell me," Kenshin said with a smile. "I need to talk to you."  
  
"Okay," Kaoru said with a blink.  
  
He took his hand he had behind his back and held out a rock resembling a heart. "Ayame and Suzume found this and thought it would be perfect for you."  
  
"Kenshin, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, happily accepting the token. "Oh, I almost forgot-"  
  
Before she could get anything else out, Kenshin threw an arm around her shoulder and kissed her. "Will you marry me, Kaoru-Dono?" 


	9. Lucky

Chapter 9  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lucky  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kenshin: AND IT'S NOT THAT STUPID BAKA SPEARS SONG EITHER, DE GOZARU YO!!!!  
  
Avia: thank you, Kenshin.  
  
Kenshin: you're welcome, de gozaru yo.  
  
Kaoru: now you have to eat my cooking......... (cue evil grin) (insert evil hand rub here)  
  
Kenshin: @.@X oro..........  
  
Avia: domo to all my reviewers that suggested stuff. It really helped. ^^ Also, chapter ten will be the last chapter. But fear not, I've already started the sequel. I've seen both OAV's and one of the movies, so it should be fairly accurate. Thanks for being so patient.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Suzuka and Megumi walked in to see Kenshin and Kaoru. He was wearing his usual smile and she looked dumbstruck.  
  
Megumi tried to say something, but Suzuka stopped her. "We should leave them alone. Let's go find everyone else."  
  
"Are you alright, Kaoru-Dono?" Kenshin asked. "I didn't scare you, did I?"  
  
"Yes!!" Kaoru exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.  
  
"Yes, I scared you, or yes, you'll marry me?"  
  
"Kenshin!"  
  
"Sorry about that, what did you want to tell me, again?"  
  
"Oh, that's right! Aki's going to have a baby."  
  
"Oh, that's wonderful that it is!"  
  
Kaoru gave a sigh. "I should get my classroom ready."  
  
"But we have to tell everyone de gozaru yo." (AN: @.@ sorry for the random change of languages)  
  
"Hm, well, they won't be here for a little while. Sure, let's tell everyone," she said with a smile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hoé?" Suzuka asked, suddenly coming to with a shake of the head. "She is?"  
  
Misao nodded. She, Suzuka, and Megumi were standing outside Aki and Sano's room, trying to keep quiet so they could sleep.........and recover from unconsciousness.  
  
"We thought she was sick, but she said she was expecting," Misao explained.  
  
"Did she check and make sure?" Megumi asked.  
  
Sano suddenly opened the door and slid it shut again. "If she were awake, she'd probably remind you that she's a doctor too. And.........don't you trust her?"  
  
"Well, I haven't known her as long as you have. I don't know when she's lying and when she's being serious."  
  
"Why would she lie about that?!" Misao asked, realizing how loud she was a moment too late.  
  
Everyone turned their heads as they heard Aki get up. She opened the door and gave everyone a flat look. "Why didn't anyone tell me how late it was?"  
  
"Yep, she's expecting," Megumi said rather flatly.  
  
"I'm so happy for you two," Suzuka said with a smile.  
  
Aki smiled back. "Domo, Suzuka-San."  
  
"Well," Megumi started. "I'm not delivering it."  
  
"You are now that you said that," Aki said, walking off.  
  
"Yup, she's definitely expecting."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aki-Chan!" Kaoru said, running up to her friend.  
  
"Hello, Kaoru-San, what's the matter?" she asked. "At least someone's in a good mood today," she said with a laugh.  
  
"Kaoru-Chan," Suzuka said, coming up. "Megumi-Chan and I saw you and Kenny when we walked in. What were you tow talking about?"  
  
"Ano........." Kaoru started, looking around as Kenshin walked in. "We were talking about laundry, weren't we, Kenshin?"  
  
"Laundry?" Sano asked, walking in. "Jou-Chan, you talk about the strangest things."  
  
"Sounds like an interesting subject to me," Suzuka said with a smile.  
  
"Oro.........I suppose.........yes, we were talking about laundry, de gozaru yo."  
  
"What's with the congregation in the hall for?" Yahiko asked, walking in.  
  
Everyone rolled their eyes except Kenshin. This reaction would definitely be an interesting one.  
  
"Well? What are you all standing around staring at me for?! What's the matter?!"  
  
Kaoru finally gave one more eye-roll and bent down. After about half a minute of explaining, Yahiko finally got the idea and walked up to Aki. "You disgust me..........but I'm happy for you anyway."  
  
He walked to the front door, looked back one more time, and gave Sano an evil grin. "For Aki's sake, I hope it looks nothing like you!" With that, he jumped out of the dojo and headed for the Akabeko.  
  
"You're not going to chase after?" Misao asked Sano.  
  
"Nah..........I figure I should just let the little whelp run from nothing. That way, when he finds his little girlfriend at the restaurant, he won't be able to say anything."  
  
"Ano..........great thinking, I'm going to work," Aki declared, nodding her head, walking back into her room.  
  
"You're getting over morning sickness...........I think," Sano said, scratching his head.  
  
"Nah, I don't think so...........I'm not that far along yet," Aki's voice came from the closed door as she got dressed. "If I get something to eat, I should be fine.........."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Later that day, Aki walked back up to the dojo after completing the day's work. "Sano-Kun.........you really didn't have to come........" she said, shaking her head.  
  
"I was worried."  
  
"Too much........."  
  
"Ne, where's Jou-Chan?"  
  
"She's having class at the temple instead of the dojo today. Misao- Chan volunteered to buy the miso with Kenshin.........which means she's buying and he's carrying..........Suzuka-San and Aoshi-San are sending invitations to Kyoto for the Oniwabanshu.........we're stuck bored again."  
  
Aki turned around to a slight tapping on her shoulder that wasn't Sano. "Yes?" she asked.  
  
There stood a girl about her age with light brown hair and bright green eyes. She definitely wasn't Japanese.  
  
"Kaoru-Chan!" the girl screamed, giving her a hug. "You've shot up a few feet!"  
  
"N-no.........I'm not Kaoru-San.........she's giving a class right now...........is there anything I can do for you?"  
  
"Terribly sorry," the girl apologized, letting go. "I'm Amelia James. Nice to meet you. I'm an old friend of Kaoru's."  
  
"You don't look Japanese," Sano observed. "Where did you say you were from?"  
  
"Virginia," she said, bowing, trying to show a little respect for their culture. It looked rather odd in her hoop skirts and petticoats. She even had a little parasol to boot. (AN: sorry, I'm from the South, I would've eventually added a Southern bell anyway @@)  
  
"Virginia........." Sano said, scratching his head. "Virginia.........doesn't ring a bell."  
  
"That's a state in America, baka," Aki said with a sweat-drop. "Gomen ne, I forgot to introduce myself. Akiyama Sagara and this is my husband, Sanosuke," she explained, returning the bow. "Please, come in and we'll get you something to eat," she said, opening the door.  
  
"How did you come to know Kaoru-San, Amelia-San?" Aki asked as Sano came back from putting up her supplies.  
  
"Yeah, Jou-Chan never mentioned a friend from the states," Sano said with his usual confused head-scratch.  
  
"When the Meiji was finally beginning to start," the newcomer began. "My father thought it would be the best time to come here and train in kenjutstu like he always wanted to. He taught me Japanese, bought me a kimono and brought me with him, since my mother had passed away the year before. I thought it would be boring, but he said that Kamiya-San had a daughter about my age, so, that's how I met her. It was so sad when my father died and I had to go back, we were both crying on each other's shoulders,"  
  
"Ano........." Aki said, tilting her head. "Did you send a letter or anything? If you did..........I don't think Kaoru-San said anything about it."  
  
"I decided to keep it a surprise."  
  
"Kenshin!!" Misao's voice came from the door. "WATCH THE MISO, YOU RED-HAIRED, CROSS-EYED, CROSS-SCARRED, BUCK-TOOTHED, SPLIT-ENDED, SHORT, WEAK-SHOULDERED KLUTZ!!"  
  
"Oro........." Kenshin's strained voice said as he spun in , trying to balance two buckets of miso strapped to a board.  
  
Sano shook his head and took the miso before Kenshin toppled over. "Kenshin, this is Amelia James from America, she's Jou-Chan's friend."  
  
"Nice to meet you, de gozaru yo, I'm Himura Kenshin, de gozaru yo," Kenshin said with a bow as he followed Sano and Misao into the kitchen.  
  
"Kaoru-Chan got lucky," Amelia said as soon as it was just her and Aki.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"When Kaoru-Chan and I were little we would always talk about the men we were going to marry," she explained. "We would try to put different combinations of things together, but I always ended up with a rich businessman and she would end up with a swordsman. Just like our fathers."  
  
Aki smiled. "I see I'm not the only one who fell for someone like my father."  
  
Amelia laughed. "My husband didn't end up the way I had planned, though."  
  
"He didn't?"  
  
She shook her head. "He turned out better."  
  
"Put your equipment where it belongs, Minna-San," Kaoru said as her class filed in, put their things up, and left. "Ja ne!" she called from the door. She turned around to see her friend. "Nee-Chan!!" she called, running over for a hug.  
  
Misao opened the kitchen door. "Weird!" she exclaimed. "It's a Japanese AND a Western Kaoru!!"  
  
"WHERE?!" Yahiko screamed, running in.  
  
While Aki watched the two long-separated friends, she realized something. She had seen it coming, but she didn't think it would have come so suddenly, but when it did, she felt very stupid for not noticing. 'That's what they were keeping from us,' she thought with a smile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
After everyone had settled down to get to know the newcomer, Amelia asked a very strange question. "So, Nee-Chan, why don't you spill it?"  
  
"Eh? What do you mean?"  
  
"What's up between you and Himura-Kun?"  
  
Kenshin and Kaoru looked around, trying to think of what to say to that.  
  
"Laundry," Kaoru said, causing everyone to face-plant.  
  
"Oro..."  
  
"Oh, come on, it's blatantly obvious that there's SOMETHING going on."  
  
Kaoru blushed so much her faced turned the color of her indigo ribbon.  
  
(AN: it's not navy, it's not cobalt, it's INDIGO. (sorry, outtakes on the DVD, couldn't help myself. Don't mind me (goes off humming Freckles)))  
  
"Blatantly...."  
  
"Obvious, de gozaru ka?"  
  
"Hee, hee," Yahiko snickered rather mischievously. "Come on, tanuki girl, spill it!"  
  
"Not until after dinner!" Kaoru proclaimed, thrusting a fist into the air.  
  
"Kaoru-San...we just finished dinner," Aki said with a sweat-drop.  
  
"Until the dishes are put up?"  
  
"We did that, too..." Misao said, getting bored.  
  
"Come on, Kaoru-Chan," Suzuka said, happily sitting next to Aoshi. Her cold fiancée nodded in agreement. "We'll tell after you do."  
  
Suzuka looked at Aoshi. He shrugged. "They were going to find out eventually."  
  
She shrugged too. "You first, Kaoru-Chan."  
  
Kaoru seemed to speechless to say anything, so Kenshin spoke up. "We're----"  
  
"Kenshin!" Kaoru said as she did the first thing to make him shut up that came to mind, which was throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss.  
  
"I knew it!" Amelia declared.  
  
Aki smiled. "Now that you've told us that you're getting married, Kaoru-San...Suzuka-San, you're turn," she said with a laugh.  
  
"Oro..." Kenshin said with a blush as Kaoru let go with a blush of her own.  
  
Suzuka let out a chuckle and looked up. "We're getting married in Kyoto."  
  
"That sounds fun," Kaoru said with a smile.  
  
Amelia smiled. Everyone heard the sound of a carriage drawing in front of the dojo. "Thank you for the company, Nee-Chan. And the dinner. Your cooking style hasn't changed," she said with a laugh as she stood up. "I have to go," she said apologetically.  
  
"Thanks for coming, Nee-Chan," Kaoru said, giving her friend a hug.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Yahiko looked around the corner of a house in the middle of town. This had been bugging him since...whenever it started! The boy had everything down when it came street smarts and common sense, but when it came to girls, his brain was a blank. Yup, when it came to the opposite gender, Myojin Yahiko, Tokyo Samurai was a complete moron.  
  
But no one called him that, not even himself!!  
  
He looked around one more time and darted for the flower bed...  
  
Kaoru wiped her forehead and put her bokuto on its rack. "Kaoru?" Yahiko's voice said from the side. He walked up, hiding something behind his back. "Can...can I borrow a ribbon?"  
  
She blinked in surprise. "Yahiko, I don't know who you've been hanging around—"  
  
"IT'S NOT THAT!! It's..." Mumble, mumble, mumble.  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"It's for Tsubame," he admitted, taking out a huge bouquet of bright blue irises.  
  
"Blue irises? Do you know how hard they are to find?!"  
  
"I had an easy time finding 'em...I mean, the vendor said that, too...I hope she likes 'em."  
  
"That's so cute!!" Kaoru said, clasping her hands together with a bright smile. "Of course you can. In fact, you can have my favorite ribbon, since you're my favorite pupil."  
  
Yahiko blinked and blushed. After all these months of training with her, it was just now that Yahiko realized...all girls were exactly the same. Confusing. "I am?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Yahiko-San!" Tae said as the boy walked in. "How can I help you?"  
  
Mumble, mumble, mumble.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Is Tsubame free?"  
  
Tae smiled. "Just a minute, you sit here," she said gesturing to an empty table.  
  
"Yahiko-Kun?" Tsubame asked half a minute later, walking up to the table. "Something weird's going on, Tae-San gave me the day off..."  
  
Yahiko couldn't say anything, he just gestured for her to sit with him. She blinked and sat next to him. "What is it, Yahiko-Kun?"  
  
He furrowed his eyebrows. They had been threw everything, just like Kenshin and Kaoru. He couldn't stand it anymore, he had to! Putting the flowers beside him, he took her in his arms. "I love you!"  
  
Tsubame's eyes widened and she blushed a few new shade of red and maybe purple. She was completely speechless.  
  
"Oh!" he said, letting go, reaching beside him. "These are for you," His face had gone a few different colors as well.  
  
"Ya-Yahiko-Kun..." she started. "I love you, too," she said, taking the flowers and giving him a small kiss on the lips.  
  
Yahiko blinked a few times. Girls weren't so confusing once you found something in common... "Let's get out of here," he said with a smile, taking her hand, and leading her out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
AN: okay, okay, so he didn't technically ask her out, but I thought this would be cuter. Hope that makes up for it 


	10. Promises and Swears

Chapter 1  
  
*  
  
Promises and Swears  
  
*  
  
Disclaimer: you should see my bio for that, that you should  
  
*  
  
AN: there are HUGE and very sad spoilers from the 1st and 2nd OVA. So, if you don't like spoilers (especially sad ones) I suggest you don't read it. Unless you want to see what happens after WOS or you don't mind spoilers, both is good too, of course. Thank you SO much to all my reviewers from Waiting Out the Seasons. You really encouraged and inspired me, thanks again, Minna-San. And a special thanks to Rurouni Kaoru, Kenshin's Love for reviewing to EVERY chapter when she didn't have to and to Lexie-Chan for those great suggestions for chapter 9. Without you two, the story would have rotted away along with my brain. ^_^ Also thanks to my muses Vera-Sama and unspoiledrini, you always help whether you realize it or not. Oh, and sorry for putting both fics in one package, but it seemed easier than starting another fic...if that makes any sense  
  
List of ages because I'm nice and did the evil math for you. ~_^  
  
Kaoru: 23~35  
  
Kenshin: 34~46  
  
Kenji: 3~15  
  
Sano: 25~37  
  
Aki: 26~38  
  
Their daughter (you don't get her name until the end of the first scene): 6~18  
  
Misao: 22~34  
  
Katsu: 26~38  
  
Yahiko: 16~28  
  
Suzuka: 34~46  
  
Aoshi: 32~44  
  
~thanks again for being patient, now here's the sequel ^_^  
  
Scene: I tried to word this in narration, but I couldn't figure out how. So, in between chappie 9 and here, Suzuka and Aoshi have decided they're going to stay in Kyoto, Kenshin and Kaoru have gotten married, and Kenshin was called off to China. There you're caught up.  
  
*  
  
"Kaa-San," a small voice called, getting Aki's attention. "Why do we have to leave?"  
  
She bent down and picked up the tiny black-haired girl. "I know you don't want to," she said, stroking her hair. "I promise we'll come back."  
  
"Aki-Chan, please don't go," Kaoru pleaded, her red-haired son on her hip.  
  
Aki handed Sano their daughter, and took her friend in a hug, crying on her shoulder. Kaoru bowed her head and did the same.  
  
The girl looked from her father's shoulder to the small boy, now standing next to his mother. "Ja...Kenji-Kun," she said with a weak wave.  
  
Kenji just blinked and hid his face in Kaoru's kimono.  
  
Aki pulled back and wiped away tears. "Sayonara, Kaoru-Chan."  
  
"Iie," her brown-eyed friend said, shaking her head. "Ja, Aki-Chan," she corrected, managing a smile.  
  
"Misao, do you have everything ready?" Sano asked as the young woman walked out of the dojo.  
  
"Eh," she said with a nod, setting suitcases on the ground. "Ja," the ninja said to Kaoru, also pulling her into an embrace. She even bent down and patted Kenji's head with a smile.  
  
By, now Aki and Sano's daughter had begun to tear up, herself. Sano set her down and she ran for Kaoru. "Oba-San!!" she said, clinging to her legs.  
  
Sano nodded and took Aki's hand. "I have one more thing to get before we meet Katsu." He smiled, let go of his wife's hand, and walked into the dojo for the last time.  
  
As he walked in, Yahiko walked out. "You don't think I was going to let you get off without a goodbye, do you?"  
  
Sano ruffled his hair. "Bye, kid," he said, walking the rest of the way in.  
  
Yahiko shook his head and walked out to the departing group. Aki walked up and put a hand on his head. He knew what she was going to say, even after all these years that he had grown and matured, she was going to say the same thing she always did. But he let her. She was going to say—"Ja, Yahiko-Kun." He blinked. She wasn't going to say that!  
  
"You've grown up," she said with a sad smile.  
  
"Ja, Aki-San, thanks."  
  
"Why do you have to go?" Kenji asked, still clinging to his mother. The youngest member of the Sagara family was born two months premature, so even though she was three years older than the boy, she about his size. She had mostly stayed in the dojo, being a little assistant for her mother, so she and Kenji were as close as siblings. "I don't want you to go," he said, taking her small hand in his.  
  
The girl looked up from Kaoru to Kenji. "I'll come back," she promised. "I promise."  
  
"Tou-San and Itoko-San have already left, you can't go!"  
  
"Kenji," Kaoru said, putting a hand on her son's shoulder.  
  
Aki walked over and bent down. "Kenji-San, when we get to China, I'll write whatever she tells me. And when it gets here, Kaoru-Chan can read it to you. So you can talk to her all you want. Would that be alright?"  
  
Kenji looked around, trying to think that out. He finally looked back to Aki and nodded.  
  
Sano walked back out with his zan-batou balanced on one shoulder. "Kenji," he said, ruffling the small boy's hair to get his attention. "Take care of Jou-Chan. Maybe even give her some cooking lessons," he said with a laugh, even though a tear soon rolled down his cheek.  
  
He turned to Kaoru and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll personally make sure he comes back to you. I swear it. Ja, Kaoru."  
  
His daughter gave Kaoru one more hug, reassured Kenji she'd come back, and took her mother's hand.  
  
Kaoru smiled at her friends. "You'll always have a place here," she said. "Ja ne."  
  
The group at the door said their last goodbyes and walked out of the entrance.  
  
After they left, Kenji let go of his mother and ran after them. There was something that was just really eating at him.  
  
"Souzouko-Chan!!"  
  
The little girl turned at the call of her name.  
  
The boy ran up and took her in one last hug. "Ja ne," he said. "I'll wait for you."  
  
The wind picked up and Kenshin looked out at the coast of the Sea of Japan in China. He hoped his job there was over soon, he really wanted to get back to his family.  
  
He smiled as the wind blew his hair. At least everyone was in a stable condition before he left. Yahiko wasn't a scornful pickpocket anymore and was maturing into a great young man. Sano had quit fighting for hire and had actually taken to helping Aki with her work instead of sitting at home. Aki had apparently inherited Captain Sagara's stability and wisdom Sano had gone on about. Misao was beginning to learn how to control her temper. Suzuka and Aoshi were happily settled down in Kyoto and were expecting from the last time he had heard. And Kaoru...  
  
He couldn't help but laugh at that one. Kaoru-Dono had never changed, but that was one of the things he loved about her. "I'll come back, Kaoru- Dono, I promise."  
  
"Kenshin-San?" a familiar voice asked from behind.  
  
"Aki-Dono? What are you doing here, de gozaru ka?"  
  
"I got a huge offer from a rich Chinese family that wanted me to be their family doctor. So, I figured, it would be the best for Souzouko-Chan and Sano if we took it. Katsu knows Chinese so he's willing to play translator and Misao wanted to help out, too."  
  
Kenshin smiled and nodded. "I understand."  
  
"Kenji...looks exactly like you, Kenshin-San. You can't tell the difference. He has your character, too. He almost didn't let Souzouko leave. Especially after you and Suzuka-San left the dojo."  
  
The samurai put a hand on his forehead. "I never wanted to leave. In fact, I regret it more everyday," he admitted, a tear rolling down his cheek.  
  
Aki hung her head. "You'll go back, Kenshin-San, you will."  
  
*  
  
The next day, Sano walked out of the inn everyone was rooming in. Katsu and Aki were off to talk to the Wang family and Misao volunteered to watch over Souzouko. He sighed as the wind washed over the ground, making the grass ripple. He walked until he found a high cliff overlooking the coast leading to the Sea of Japan.  
  
For a few hours, he just sat there, thinking of what had happened in the last six years.  
  
"It's ironic, isn't it?" Aki's voice asked behind him.  
  
"What?" he asked as she sat next to him.  
  
"That a place so beautiful can cause so much trouble for the people we left behind."  
  
"Yeah, it IS an irony of its own."  
  
"The Wang family said they'd find someone to build us two Japanese dojos. One for a clinic and one for a living quarters."  
  
He turned to her. For a while now, there had been something he had been thinking about and now he had finally decided on it. It had just taken him until now to ask her.  
  
She blinked in surprise as he picked her up and set her in his lap. "I want another one," he said, drawing her close.  
  
"Another dojo?"  
  
"Maybe this one will look like Captain Sagara, too, but it'll be a boy," he wondered, running fingers through her hair. "Or maybe it'll be another little girl and look like your mother."  
  
She shook her head and wrapped her arms around him. "Who's to say it won't look like you? You know, Souzouko doesn't look EXACTLY like me, she has your eyes."  
  
"Oh, come on, Aki, let's face it, I'm not the prettiest guy in the world."  
  
Aki sighed and shook her head again. She pulled back and looked straight into his eyes. "If I thought you were ugly, I wouldn't have married you, baka."  
  
"There was something else on my mind," he admitted.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Before you showed up again...I met this girl named Sayo." He looked up to see what her reaction would be. She was Aki, after all, she knew what was coming next. To his relief, she was listening patiently. Good. She wasn't the jealous type. He mentally laughed at that. She was Aki, after all.  
  
"She was really nice. Kinda reminded me of you. She had converted to Christianity before we met. The only thing was...she came down with tuberculosis. She would have died anyway, but...she ran in front of a bullet to save someone and..." He really couldn't think of a way to put the last few words, but Aki got the picture.  
  
"And? Don't stop now, you got me interested."  
  
"And...if she had lived...I probably would have converted with her."  
  
Aki smiled. "There's something I forgot to tell you that's something like that. My mother was a convert. She said I could have a choice of whether I wanted to be Buddhist like Tou-San or be Christian like her. I never really thought about it. But now that I have support, I think I know which one I want to be now," she explained with a warm smile.  
  
*  
  
The wind picked up again as Suzuka walked into a small building next to the Aoi-Ya. "Kaoru-Chan says Aki, Sano, Misao and Souzouko-Chan left the dojo two weeks ago to go to China. Itoko-Chan says he made it to China safely two months ago and he wishes us well."  
  
Aoshi sighed. "So Kaoru is left to raise Kenji on her own?"  
  
"She has Yahiko there to help her, but besides that, yes."  
  
He nodded and went back to work. "The gods be with her..."  
  
~12 years later~  
  
"Aki," Sano said walking in one night. "I need you to see something."  
  
"What's the matter?" Katsu asked.  
  
"It's...it's Kenshin. I don't think he can last enough to get to Tokyo. I have his ticket, but...it's that disease."  
  
Aki nodded. "I can't do much, but I can at least make sure he's well enough to get back to Kaoru."  
  
"Sano, why do you have a tiger skin around your neck?" Misao asked with a blink.  
  
"That shack at the coast is so far away from the city, Kenshin needed to closest food and the best he could get," Sano explained.  
  
"I'm coming with you," Souzouko said standing up.  
  
Aki shook her head as she stood up to face her daughter. "This is almost too much for me to handle, seeing Kenshin in the condition he's in. Hitokiri or rurouni, he was always strong in character and health. He's a complete shadow of what he used to be."  
  
Souzouko met her mother's stare with one of her own. Even though, she had grown to be a strong young woman, those two months had still stunted her growth. But she didn't care if her mother was a few heads taller than her, this was important! "But I at least want to see Ojii-San once before...! Before..."  
  
Aki nodded and walked out the door with Sano.  
  
After Aki had nursed him back to enough health to walk, she, Sano, and Kenshin stood at the pier in front of a boat. "Kenshin, you get home to Jou-Chan and Kenji. If nothing else, at least do that," Sano said, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Put that herb in your tea before you get there," Aki reminded him.  
  
Kenshin nodded. "D-domo...Aki...Dono." He said looking at her with a small smile.  
  
"Donashitemashite," she said with a smile. Even though the medicine she had given him gave him strength his muscles, it couldn't do anything for what the disease had done to his lungs. It must've taken all he had just to say thank you.  
  
"Aki, you have some mail," Katsu said, coming in a few months later, handing her an envelope.  
  
"It's from Megumi-San," Aki said with a blink, opening the letter.  
  
"What does it say?" Misao asked, leaning in.  
  
"It says Kenshin made it home, but died shortly after...then after he died, Kaoru's own illness took a turn for the worst and...all it says after that is Megumi couldn't do anything."  
  
Misao hung her head.  
  
"Oh, you have some mail, too, Misao-San," Katsu said, handing her another envelope.  
  
"Minna-San," Souzouko said, running in. "I have five tickets to Japan, we can go home like we always said we would!"  
  
"Should we tell her?" Misao asked under her breath.  
  
Aki looked to Sano and shook her head. "Let Kenji tell her," she said to Misao.  
  
"Sorry, Souzouko-Chan," Sano said, putting a hand on her head sympathetically. "Your mother and I can't come with you."  
  
"Eh?" she asked. "Why?"  
  
"We have some unfinished business," Aki explained. Upon seeing a confused look she added, "We'll come to Japan, but it can't be now, but you can go."  
  
Souzouko nodded.  
  
"I'll come with you," Misao said standing up, holding the open letter in her hand. "But I can only stop in Tokyo to drop you off. A friend of mine is on his deathbed in Kyoto and I need to get there as fast as I can. I'm sorry."  
  
"I understand, Misao-San," Souzouko said with a sympathetic nod.  
  
"I'll come to make sure you get there safely," Katsu said, handing Souzouko one last letter.  
  
She smiled and took the envelope. In his last letter, Kenji said he was going to fight Yahiko in Kyoto for the saka-batou. The return address said that he was now in Tokyo. That was good. She opened the letter expecting a three page explanation of the fight, but it was a very small piece of paper that read nothing but "Lost".  
  
"Souzouko," Aki said a few days later while everyone had gotten their things together and were saying their goodbyes at the door. "I have something that should belong to you now," she said, walking into her room and coming out with a covered sword, a long, dark blue kimono and a bright red headband.  
  
Souzouko looked at her mother expecting an explanation. "The kimono, my mother gave me before she passed away. The sword and the headband were my father's."  
  
Her daughter nodded, wrapped the headband over her forehead, and cradled the sword and kimono in her arms. She smiled and took her mother in a one- armed hug. "Arigatou."  
  
"Come on, Souzou-Chan," Katsu called, taking his goddaughter by the shoulder. She looked at him. So that's why he called her by that name.  
  
"Ja!"  
  
*  
  
Kenji stood in the middle of the Kamiya dojo, trying to figure out what had gone wrong in his fight with Yahiko. The Hiten-Mitsurugi couldn't have lost to the Kamiya-Kasshin! He retraced his and Yahiko's steps with the saka-batou. Then realized why it didn't work. The saka-batou WAS a lot duller than the katana, but this was the original one from the stories he had heard, growing up.  
  
All of sudden, while retracing training steps, his step slacked. Why was he slowing down? There was something nagging at him, something he couldn't explain...it was in the back of the dojo's ground. In fact, there were two of them, side by side. He dropped his sword as hard reality sunk in.  
  
Souzouko walked down the path of sakura trees until she found a familiar old building. This was it! After waiting twelve long years! "Kenji-Kun!" she called after setting her things at the front of the dojo. "Kenji-Kun?" she asked after there was no answer. She walked through the dojo until she found the classroom.  
  
"Kenji-Kun! What's the matter?!" she asked, rushing over to her friend who was now huddled in a crouching position on the floor.  
  
Kenji slowly looked up at her with a horrified expression. He hung his head again and slowly wrapped his arms around her neck so his head was on her shoulder. "They're gone," he said weakly. "They're both gone."  
  
Souzouko her hung head, too, and drew him close. "I didn't really hate him," he admitted, his shoulders starting to shake. "I only said that because I thought it would make him come back..."  
  
She sat there, not knowing what to say. She figured the only thing she could do right then was just sit there with him. "The worst thing is, now that he's gone, I can't apologize for hating him."  
  
He tightened his grip on her and buried his face even more. "You won't leave me too, will you?"  
  
She blinked away tears and shook her head. "I won't leave you again, Kenji- Kun, I swear."  
  
~  
  
AN: like I said, very, very, very, very sad spoilers. I didn't want to kill off Kaoru and Kenshin! I didn't!! They're my second favorite characters! I nearly cried way too many times while I was writing this! Anyways, how is the sequel going? Do you like it? Hate it? What? Review!! I know there's not much humor in here, that's why it's so hard to write...ano...yeah. 


End file.
